Pete Hegseth. Photo: Stephanie Reynolds / Bloomberg / Getty Images
The United States has said that Ukraine and its allies have successfully prevented Vladimir Putin from realising his main goal of a full-scale invasion – the seizure of the entire country. This was stated by US Secretary of Defence Pete Hagel at a press conference in Warsaw, CNN reports .
According to him, it was the resolute resistance of Ukrainians and the support of allies, especially in the first months of the war, that stopped Russian troops and disrupted the Kremlin’s plans. Hegseth stressed that despite any statements by Putin, he did not achieve his original military goals.
The US Secretary of Defence also answered the question of whether peace talks that include ceding territory could embolden Putin. He believes that the Kremlin will declare victory in any scenario, but the key factor will be NATO’s response. If the Alliance continues to increase its defence presence and funding, Russia will not be able to use possible diplomatic compromises to its advantage.
Speaking about Ukraine’s future, Hagseth noted that a return to the 2022 borders is possible, but that the realism of returning to the 2014 borders as part of the negotiations is questionable. He also stressed that the direct involvement of US troops in Ukraine is unlikely, as is Ukraine’s accession to NATO within the current negotiation process.
Hughes emphasised that the US and its allies will continue to support Ukraine to ensure that it has a favourable position in any future negotiations. He noted that only strengthening the West’s defence capabilities and active actions by allies can ensure that Putin will not attempt to attack Ukrainian territory again.
