Trump's team seeks 'as advantageous as possible' end to war for Ukraine
Pentagon chief candidate Pete Hegseth stated that the administration of the next US President Donald Trump will seek to end the war in Ukraine. He added that they would like to do this "as advantageously as possible" for Ukrainians, NBC News reports.
During a Senate hearing, the candidate answered several questions. In particular, Senator Angus King from Maine asked why Hegseth did not mention Ukraine or Russia in his opening remarks.
"Is this code for we’re going to abandon Ukraine?" King asked.
Hegseth responded that this was not the case and that Donald Trump had previously made it clear he wants to end the Russia-Ukraine war.
"We know who the aggressor is. We know who the good guy is. We’d like to see it (ending the war - ed.) as advantageous for the Ukrainians as possible. But that war needs to come to an end," he added.
When asked by Democratic Senator Jacky Rosen from Nevada whether the Trump administration would support Ukraine, Hegseth replied that he would give the president his best advice.
Earlier, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken stated that Joe Biden's administration is preparing the strongest possible position on Ukraine for Trump.
Meanwhile, Trump’s future National Security Advisor Mike Waltz believes that the Russia-Ukraine war will end through diplomatic means, but a ceasefire must be achieved first.
He also considers the complete withdrawal of Russian troops from all occupied territories of Ukraine to be unrealistic.
"I just don't think it's realistic to say that we're going to expel every Russian off every inch of Ukrainian soil, even from Crimea. President Trump has acknowledged this reality," Waltz emphasized.