Pentagon head allows possibility of providing Ukraine with nuclear weapons

About nuclear weapons

The head of the US Department of Defense, in a conversation with the media, noted that he does not intend to announce anything open or unconsidered.

"That’s not my job. That’s the president’s job. He’s the leader, he’s the master negotiator and dealmaker," Hegseth said.

The Pentagon chief also commented on the US government's intentions to achieve an end to Russia's war against Ukraine, and on the Trump administration's efforts to define certain conditions for peace.

"Some of us are out there to help set certain types of conditions that could make a deal more likely and that’s what I’ve tried to do here in the context of NATO," he explained.

'Shocking' statements by the head of the Pentagon

These statements by Hegseth were made on Wednesday, outlining some of Washington's positions ahead of potential negotiations. Specifically, the American minister expressed the view that Ukraine should not be offered NATO membership.

Additionally, the Pentagon chief recently said that the return of Ukraine to its internationally recognized borders (i.e., those of 2014) seemed unrealistic.

Furthermore, Hegseth stated that US troops would not be deployed in Ukraine and that European peacekeepers in Ukraine should not be part of a NATO mission, as this could trigger Article 5 and, consequently, lead to military intervention by the US.

Western media report that such statements by Hegseth during a meeting with NATO allies and partners who support Kyiv caused shock across Europe. While Europe firmly continues to assist Ukraine in countering Russian aggression, it has largely relied on US leadership, and financial and military support to sustain Ukraine in this fight.

Hegseth clarified his words regarding Ukraine's NATO membership and the return of occupied territories

However, Hegseth now stated that his comments should not be interpreted as so-called red lines, but rather as the reality of the situation.

"I’m not the one that declares a red line or not. I work with the president, as we work through these issues, but we believed that it was useful just to speak some reality into the conversation," said the Pentagon chief.

The US minister noted that his words do not mean that Ukraine will never join NATO in the future.

"I think what I articulated yesterday, in consultation with senior leadership in the White House and the Oval Office of the president, was the reality of the moment — that NATO membership was unlikely considering the realities of where we are," Hegseth explained.

At the same time, he added, "No one’s throwing a stake in the ground for 25 years from now or any defined period of time."

"It’s just a recognition that if you want if we want a negotiated peace, you want a ceasefire, you want an opportunity for enduring peace, realistically, right now that’s not in the cards — just like going back to the 2014 borders realistically right now is not in the cards. That’s not a that’s not a definitive value statement," the Pentagon chief stated.

Zelenskyy spoke about NATO membership and nuclear weapons for Ukraine

Last week, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy stated that Ukraine should either be granted NATO membership or acquire nuclear weapons if the process of joining NATO is delayed, as a security guarantee within a potential peace agreement to prevent a future attack from Russia.

According to the president, if Ukraine's accession to NATO takes years or decades, then Western partners should give us nuclear weapons.

Following this, US Special Representative for Ukraine and Russia, Keith Kellogg, expressed the view that the chances of Ukraine regaining nuclear weapons are minimal.

Additionally, in January, President Zelenskyy also reminded how the US and Russia forced Ukraine to give up its nuclear weapons and recalled his conversation with Donald Trump about the Budapest Memorandum.