Hegseth Calls on NATO Allies to Lead Europe’s Security, Rules Out Support for Ukraine Membership
Pentagon – February 12, 2025
Fox News commentator and former Army Ranger Pete Hegseth urged NATO allies to take on a more prominent role in ensuring Europe’s security and stability, while simultaneously expressing opposition to Ukraine’s membership in the alliance.
In an address at the Atlantic Council think tank in Washington, D.C., Hegseth argued that the United States should prioritize its own security interests and avoid further entanglements in Eastern Europe. He called on European countries to “step up” and assume greater responsibility for their collective defense.
“The United States has been the guarantor of European security for far too long,” Hegseth said. “It is time for our European allies to lead the way in securing their own continent.”
Hegseth criticized NATO’s eastward expansion, asserting that it had provoked Russia and destabilized the region. He warned that further expansion, particularly the admission of Ukraine, would only escalate tensions with Moscow and increase the risk of conflict.
“Ukraine is not ready for NATO membership,” Hegseth said. “It is a corrupt country with a history of instability. Admitting Ukraine into NATO would be a grave mistake that would only serve to undermine the alliance.”
Hegseth’s remarks drew mixed reactions from foreign policy experts. Some agreed with his assessment that the United States should focus on its own security interests, while others criticized his opposition to Ukraine’s NATO membership.
“Hegseth’s views are not representative of the mainstream foreign policy establishment,” said Jennifer Hillman, a senior fellow at the Council on Foreign Relations. “Most experts believe that NATO expansion has been a stabilizing force in Europe and that Ukraine should eventually be admitted into the alliance.”
According to a recent poll conducted by Pew Research Center, 64% of Americans believe that the United States should play a major role in defending Europe, while 35% believe that European countries should be primarily responsible for their own defense.
The Biden administration has not yet announced its position on Ukraine’s NATO membership. However, Secretary of State Antony Blinken has said that the United States supports Ukraine’s aspirations to become a member of NATO.
Hegseth Calls on NATO Allies to Lead Europe’s Security, Rules Out Support for Ukraine Membership
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