US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth will attend the Ukraine Defense Contact Group meeting at NATO headquarters in Brussels, The Washington Post reported on 11 February.
This marks his first visit to NATO as part of the Trump administration.
“The Secretary will reiterate President Trump’s commitment for a diplomatic end to the war in Ukraine as quickly as possible,” the Pentagon stated ahead of Hegseth’s departure.
The meeting, known as the Ramstein format, will be convened by the United Kingdom for the first time since its inception in 2022.
The 61st MSC, an annual international security policy conference, will take place in Germany, from 14-16 February 2025. Since 2022, the conference has served as a crucial platform for addressing the war in Ukraine, with President Zelenskyy actively participating to advocate for support and discuss pathways to peace and security.
The US has been a major contributor of military aid to Ukraine, particularly through the Ukraine Defense Contact Group meetings. However, since the Trump administration took office in DC, the new US Defense Secretary was not expected to announce any new weapons packages for Ukraine.
The US official cited by the WP indicated Hegseth would maintain a “listening mode” during the event.
According to the WP, allied nations have provided Ukraine with over $126 billion in military assistance over the past three years.
“The Europeans have to own this conflict going forward. President Trump is going to end it,” Trump’s national security adviser Mike Waltz recently said.
Trump anticipated earlier that European allies should assume greater responsibility for supporting Ukraine, driven by his desire to lessen the US leadership role in the war and resolve it swiftly.
The Washington Post notes that NATO allies seek clarity on the new administration’s approach.
“Constructive dialogue with the new American administration would be the most important outcome,” a senior NATO diplomat told reporters.
Read also:
- Zelenskyy: Strong weapons packages vital as Ukraine counts on Ramstein coalition ahead of first meeing in UK
- Pentagon chief to attend Ramstein, promote “peace through strength”
- Trump’s envoy on Ukraine and Russia, Kellogg, to visit Kyiv next week
