BRUSSELS (AP) — In a historic move, U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth is set to visit NATO on Wednesday, marking the first visit by a member of the new Trump administration to the organization. Allies are eager to gain insight into America’s strategy regarding the ongoing conflict in Ukraine.
Hegseth’s visit coincides with the approaching third anniversary of Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine. Many NATO allies are concerned about the potential threat posed by Russian President Vladimir Putin if the conflict is not resolved, viewing it as a significant security risk for Europe.
President Donald Trump has pledged to swiftly end the war, citing concerns about the financial cost to American taxpayers. However, some allies are wary of a rushed agreement that may not be advantageous to Ukraine.
During his visit, Hegseth will participate in a meeting of the Ukraine Defense Contact Group at NATO’s headquarters in Brussels. The group, established by former Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin in 2022, serves as a key platform for coordinating international support for Ukraine.
While no formal decisions have been made regarding future meetings, the United Kingdom will chair the upcoming session. Hegseth is not expected to announce any new military assistance for Ukraine but will emphasize Trump’s commitment to a diplomatic resolution and call for increased European support for Ukraine’s security.
In addition to addressing the situation in Ukraine, Hegseth’s visit aims to provide NATO allies with insight into the Trump administration’s approach to the security organization. Trump’s previous remarks on NATO’s defense spending requirements have raised concerns among European allies, highlighting the importance of unity within the alliance.
As discussions continue on Ukraine’s security needs and defense spending, European allies have demonstrated increased military investments in response to the crisis. However, further efforts are needed to ensure all members meet NATO’s guidelines for defense spending.
The visit is anticipated to foster constructive dialogue between the U.S. and NATO, with a focus on reinforcing security commitments and support for Ukraine. As the meeting unfolds, the international community awaits further developments on the path towards resolving the conflict and strengthening transatlantic cooperation.
President Trump is expected to focus on NATO members once again, with his recent call for these countries to increase defense spending to 5% of their GDP. No member has met this level yet, with even Poland, the highest spender at over 4%, projected to approach 5% this year. NATO diplomats believe that members should aim to allocate 3.5-3.7% of their GDP to their military budgets to effectively implement new defense strategies in the event of an attack on allied territory. Leaders of the organization are anticipated to set new spending targets during their upcoming summit in The Hague on June 24-26. Reporting on this from Washington is Copp.
