US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth will not attend the upcoming Ukraine Defense Contact Group meeting in the Ramstein format, scheduled for 11 April in Brussels, Defense News reports, citing sources in European and US agencies.
Sources say Hegseth will not attend the Ramstein meeting in person or online. This will mark the first time the coalition will convene without the US defense secretary.
It remains unclear whether the US will send lower-ranking officials to the meeting. However, Defense News sources believe the Pentagon does not plan to send high-ranking representatives to Brussels.
In February, US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth attended the Ramstein-format meeting but, for the first time in 26 sessions, did not preside over it, with the UK stepping in to lead.
This shift has amplified concerns about a growing American isolationist stance, particularly as Washington’s approach to Ukraine’s security—which is intrinsically tied to Europe’s stability—raises questions about its long-term commitment.
The prospect of a diminished US role has left NATO members increasingly anxious, fearing heightened vulnerability to Russian aggression as Moscow continues its war in Ukraine and poses broader threats to European security.
Meanwhile, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio has reaffirmed that the US will remain in NATO but will demand that all Alliance members commit to raising military spending to 5% of GDP, Fox News reports.
Speaking upon his arrival in Brussels alongside US Ambassador to NATO Matthew Whitaker for talks with allies, Rubio also reiterated the US commitment to NATO’s collective security principle, which states that an attack on one ally is considered an attack on all.
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