Latest news Ukraine

Trump claims Ukraine toshould “forget” about NATO

Donald Trump promised to negotiate the “best deal possible” for Ukraine that would return “as much territory as possible,” while excluding NATO membership.

byMaria Tril

26/02/2025

2 minute read

US President Trump holds first Cabinet meeting in second term on 26 February. Credit: UPI.com

Trump claims Ukraine toshould “forget” about NATO

US President Donald Trump claimed on 26 February that Ukraine should “forget about NATO” as part of any future peace agreement to end the war,.

“You can forget about NATO,” Trump said. “I think that’s probably the reason the whole thing started,” he added, referring to promises that Ukraine would someday become a member of the Alliance.

This echoes previous statements by Trump, who has claimed that Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine was allegedly caused by the Alliance’s promise of eventual Ukrainian membership. US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth has also excluded Ukraine’s NATO membership as part of any “peaceful settlement” of the war.

Ukraine formally submitted its application for NATO membership in 2022, following years of escalating tensions with Russia and a constitutional amendment prioritizing NATO membership in 2019.

The main reason Russia started the war in Ukraine driven by a desire to reassert its influence and control, motivated by a historical narrative that views Ukraine as part of a broader “Historical Russia.” Additionally, Russia seeks to undermine Ukraine’s independence and democratic development, which it sees as a threat to its authoritarian rule.

Many experts say that Russian war in Ukraine is existential, as Russia aims to take away Ukraine’s identity.

Ukraine continues to insist that its position on joining the North Atlantic Alliance remains unchanged, as it is reportedly the cheapest and most solid security option for Ukraine, which is fighting for, firstly, European and global peace.

Trump expressed optimism about achieving peace in Ukraine, citing his conversations with Vladimir Putin as an example. Trump described Putin as “clever” and “smart,” expressing confidence that he could reach an agreement with him to end the war in Ukraine.

“I had very good conversations with Putin. I had very good conversations with Zelensky,” he said.

Regarding potential territorial concessions by Ukraine as part of a “peace agreement,” Trump assured that he would seek “the best deal.”

The US President also declined to promise specific security guarantees to Ukraine from the United States, saying Europe should provide these instead.

Read also:

You could close this page. Or you could join our community and help us produce more materials like this. We keep our reporting open and accessible to everyone because we believe in the power of free information. This is why our small, cost-effective team depends on the support of readers like you to bring deliver timely news, quality analysis, and on-the-ground reports about Russia's war against Ukraine and Ukraine's struggle to build a democratic society. A little bit goes a long way: for as little as the cost of one cup of coffee a month, you can help build bridges between Ukraine and the rest of the world, plus become a co-creator and vote for topics we should cover next. Become a patron or see other ways to support. Become a Patron!

To suggest a correction or clarification, write to us here

You can also highlight the text and press Ctrl + Enter

We are an independent media outlet that relies solely on advertising revenue to sustain itself. We do not endorse or promote any products or services for financial gain. Therefore, we kindly ask for your support by disabling your ad blocker. Your assistance helps us continue providing quality content. Thank you!