The return of Ukrainian territory to the borders of 2014 is deemed "unrealistic." This statement was made on Thursday, February 13, by U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth in an interview with Breitbart News.
"I'm not the one to draw red lines. I work with the president, and we thought it was useful to bring a bit of reality into the conversation. Ultimately, President Trump is the only one who can determine whether there is room for wobbling or movement on any specific position," Hegseth stated.
At the same time, the Pentagon chief emphasized that his remarks do not imply that Ukraine cannot join NATO in the future.
"I think what I articulated yesterday, consulting with senior leadership at the White House and in the Oval Office, was the reality of the moment—that NATO membership was unlikely, given the realities of where we are right now. No one will be planting the flag in the ground in 25 years or over any specific timeframe," Hegseth said.
Additionally, the Pentagon head noted:
"It’s simply an acknowledgment that if you want, if we want to achieve peace through negotiations, you want a ceasefire, you want the possibility for lasting peace, realistically, right now, that’s not on the agenda—just as a realistic return to the borders of 2014 is not on the agenda right now."
He stated that Trump lives "in the real world."
Peace Negotiations
According to U.S. President Donald Trump, next week in Saudi Arabia there will be a meeting of representatives from the U.S., Russia, and Ukraine. Neither he nor Putin will attend, but top officials are expected to be present.
Trump also mentioned a meeting of representatives from the U.S., Ukraine, and Russia in Munich on February 14. However, Zelensky's advisor, Dmitry Litvin, denied this information.
Earlier, the American leader supported the statement by Pentagon chief Pete Hegseth that Ukraine's NATO membership is not a realistic scenario. According to Trump, it is "impractical."