US defence secretary Pete Hegseth has just spoken at a meeting of the Ukraine Defence Contact Group in Brussels. He’s alongside John Healey…
Hegseth said the war “must end.” Some new lines too:
“We must start by recognizing that returning to Ukraine’s pre-2014 borders is an unrealistic objective.”
No US troop deployments to Ukraine. And no support for troops who do…
Reversal of previous US position in favour of Ukraine NATO membership. Security guarantees “instead must be backed by capable European and non-European troops”…
Europe has to provide the majority of support for Ukraine’s defence: “the overwhelming share of future lethal and nonlethal aid to Ukraine.”
5% GDP demands a starting point from Trump. Funding imbalance will not be tolerated.
US energy will help diplomacy: “Trump is unleashing American energy production and encouraging other nations to do the same. Lower energy prices coupled with more effective enforcement of energy sanctions will help bring Russia to the table.”
“The US is prioritising deterring war with China in the Pacific, recognising the reality of scarcity, and making the resourcing tradeoffs to ensure deterrence does not fail.” That means Europe must “take ownership of conventional security on the continent”…
John Healey said in response: “On stepping up for Ukraine, we are and we will. On stepping up for European security, we are and we will.” There still no timeline for 2.5% spending on defence.Tick, tock…
Red Wall Labour backbencher Jonathan Brash told GB News that Starmer should resign:
“I’m completely fed up about it, and I think it’s got to the point now where I genuinely think that, as far as the Prime Minister is concerned, it’s not a case of if, it’s when.”
