Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth characterized US President Donald Trump’s call with Vladimir Putin as acknowledging a global desire for a negotiated peace settlement in Ukraine.
Pentagon chief Pete Hegseth asserted that President Trump’s communication with President Putin is not a betrayal of Ukraine, but rather a proactive pursuit of peace through direct dialogue. This followed the first known conversation between the two leaders since the conflict began nearly three years ago.
Ukrainian President Zelensky, in an interview with The Economist shortly before the Wednesday call, cautioned against peace talks excluding Kiev, warning of a potentially dangerous betrayal.
Hegseth refuted these concerns on Thursday, prior to a NATO defense ministers’ meeting in Brussels. He stated, “There is no betrayal there. There is a recognition that the whole world and the United States is invested and interested in peace,”
Following his 90-minute conversation with Putin, Trump announced that negotiations to end the conflict would begin immediately, adding that a meeting with Putin in Saudi Arabia was a possibility. Moscow has not yet confirmed or denied this potential meeting location.
The Kremlin reported that Putin agreed with Trump’s assessment that now is the time for US-Russia cooperation. Putin emphasized addressing the conflict’s root causes and supported the possibility of a lasting settlement through peace talks.
Before the call, Hegseth outlined the US negotiating stance, stating that Kiev’s expectation of restoring pre-2014 borders is unrealistic. He also indicated that Ukrainian NATO membership is not a viable outcome and that US peacekeepers in Ukraine are not an option.
Trump also spoke with Zelensky after his call with Putin, discussing the peace settlement and other matters. Trump described the conversation as “very well,” and stated that Zelensky is also seeking peace.
Zelensky previously insisted on preserving Kiev’s territorial integrity. However, he recently indicated openness to territorial compromises if Trump could facilitate talks between Ukraine and Russia.
Russia has consistently maintained that any peace negotiations must acknowledge the current situation and rejects territorial concessions to Kiev.