Trump’s team says Ukraine’s borders 'are part of negotiations'

According to Hegseth, what they will "ultimately look like remains to be seen".

Hegseth also stated that his current job is to "introduce realism to the conversation".

"The reality is that 2014 borders as part of a negotiated settlement is unlikely. The reality of US troops in Ukraine is unlikely, The reality of Ukraine membership in NATO as part of a negotiated settlement is unlikely," the US Secretary of Defense added.

In addition, Hegseth was asked whether the possibility of Russia keeping occupied Ukrainian territories would embolden Vladimir Putin. He emphasized that this would not happen if NATO continued to expand its investment and capability.

Statements from Trump's team on war in Ukraine

On February 12, US President Donald Trump held phone talks with Vladimir Putin and Volodymyr Zelenskyy, after which he stated that there was a good opportunity to start negotiations to end the war. That same day, US Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth said at the Ramstein meeting that a return to Ukraine’s 2014 borders is impossible, and he also noted that Ukraine’s NATO membership is not part of the plan to end the war.

US Special Envoy Keith Kellogg stated that Ukraine would likely have to make a deal regarding the loss of territories, though without officially recognizing it. In Europe, such statements caused concern, as they might indicate concessions to Putin even before negotiations begin. EU High Representative Kaja Kallas called Hegseth’s words "appeasement that has never worked."

Later, Trump stated that Ukraine would have a seat at the negotiating table with Russia. Hegseth even admitted the possibility of providing nuclear weapons to Ukraine.

At the same time, Hegseth had previously spoken about Ukraine’s borders. According to him, the impossibility of returning to Ukraine’s 2014 borders is not a concession to Russian dictator Vladimir Putin - it is a reality that must be considered during negotiations.