"“I don’t think it’s practical to have it, personally," Trump said... about NATO membership for Ukraine...
...Trump said... of Russia: “I think long before President Putin, they said there’s no way they’d allow that.”
”They’ve been saying that for a long time that Ukraine cannot go into NATO," Trump said. "And I’m OK with that.”"
From the New Republic / Yahoo!News:
"Pete Hegseth Gives Russia Alarming Win on Ukraine War
The Trump administration’s Ukraine policy is off to a poor start.
Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth is visiting Europe, and met with the Ukraine Defense Contact Group Wednesday in London, immediately telling U.S. allies that liberating all of Russia’s occupied Ukrainian territory “is an unrealistic objective.”
Then it got even worse, with Hegseth telling the alliance of 57 countries, including all 32 members of NATO, that “the United States does not believe that NATO membership for Ukraine is a realistic outcome of a negotiated settlement.
“Instead, any security guarantee must be backed by capable European and non-European troops,” Hegseth added.
Hegseth seems to have given up two main points to Russian President Vladimir Putin, including a key piece of leverage in future negotiations to end the war between Ukraine and Russia. One of Putin’s major complaints about Ukraine has been the prospect of the country joining NATO along with the rest of Eastern Europe...
Hegseth’s remarks suggest the new administration will prioritize better relations with Putin over defending Ukrainian sovereignty...
While campaigning for president, Trump boasted that he could end the war in Ukraine within “24 hours.” Shortly after Trump’s election, Russia shot down that idea, and even boosted its troop numbers days later. The president’s choice for special envoy to Ukraine and Russia, Lt. Gen. Keith Kellogg, has in the past suggested withholding aid for Ukraine in order to force negotiations with Russia, something Trump did just days into his presidency.
In the past few weeks, Trump has said he will use tariffs as leverage against Russia and shaken down Ukraine for its natural resources in exchange for continued support. All of this doesn’t bode well for the future of Ukraine, which seeks not only to end Russian occupation of its land but also better relations with the U.S. and Europe instead of a subservient relationship with Russia. Trump seems more concerned with keeping Putin happy and getting a payoff."
From CNN / Yahoo!News:
"Hegseth rules out NATO membership for Ukraine and says Europe must be responsible for country’s security
US Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth said on Wednesday that the war between Ukraine and Russia “must end,” that Kyiv joining NATO is unrealistic and that the US will no longer prioritize European and Ukrainian security as the Trump administration shifts its attention to securing the US’ own borders and deterring war with China.
In remarks before a meeting of the Ukraine Defense Contact Group, Hegseth also said that European troops should be the primary force securing a post-war Ukraine—something US troops will not be involved in, he added.
“The United States does not believe that NATO membership for Ukraine is a realistic outcome of a negotiated settlement,” Hegseth said. And he added that any security guarantees offered to Ukraine “must be backed by capable European and non-European troops.”
“To be clear, as part of any security guarantee, there will not be US troops deployed to Ukraine,” he said.Hegseth also said that a return to Ukraine’s pre-2014 borders, before Russia invaded Crimea and eastern Ukraine, “is an unrealistic objective.”
Many NATO allies would actually agree with Hegseth that getting Crimea back from Russia is not realistic, and not even Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has insisted on that as a precursor to peace talks. One NATO official said it would have been more concerning if Hegseth had said that returning to Ukraine’s pre-2022 borders was unrealistic...
Hours after Hegseth spoke, President Donald Trump announced he’d spoken with Russian President Vladimir Putin on Wednesday morning. Trump said the two agreed to work “very closely” together and begin negotiations “immediately” on ending the war in Ukraine.
“[W]e will begin by calling President Zelensky, of Ukraine, to inform him of the conversation,” Trump said.
Trump spoke with Zelensky shortly after getting off the phone with Putin.
Later on Wednesday afternoon, Trump said he agrees with Hegseth and does not “think it’s practical” to have Ukraine join NATO.
***
In other news - the Telegraph / Yahoo!News:
Ukraine may be Russian one day, says Trump as he hints at rare earth minerals deal
Donald Trump has said Ukraine “may be Russian someday” as senior figures in his administration prepare to meet with Volodymyr Zelensky this week.
Speaking as talk of a peace deal ramps up, the US president also said Ukraine had agreed to give the US $500 billion worth of rare earth minerals.
“They may make a deal, they may not make a deal. They may be Russian someday, or they may not be Russian someday,” he told Fox News.
“I told them that I want the equivalent of like $500 billion worth of rare earth (minerals), and they’ve essentially agreed to do that, so at least we don’t feel stupid,” he added...“We’re going to have all this money in [Ukraine] and I say, I want it back,” the president said, suggesting that he is looking for compensation from Kyiv for the aid given to Ukraine by the US.
After Mr Trump’s remarks, the Kremlin said a “significant part” of Ukraine already is Russian.
“The fact that a significant part of Ukraine wants to become Russia, and has already, is a fact,” said Dmitry Peskov, a Kremlin spokesman, referring to Moscow’s annexation of four Ukrainian regions in 2022..."***
Back in 1994, the USA bullied Ukraine to give up its nuclear arsenal to its Russian arch-enemies, falsely promising to defend it in return. Then the USA systematically betrayed Ukraine. Now, Trump wants Ukraine to pay for the cruel imitation of aid his predecessor gave to it, though it was carefully calculated to achieve nothing. Someone must explain to the demented psycho occupying the White House that if Ukraine becomes Russia, US companies will get no minerals.
