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BRUSSELS (AP) — U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth said Wednesday NATO membership for Ukraine was unrealistic sweeping remarks suggested country should abandon hopes of returning to its pre-2014 borders & prepare for a negotiated settlement with Russia backed up by international troops. Hegseth made comments during first trip to NATO by a member of new Trump admin. Allies have been waiting to hear how much continued military financial support Washington intends to provide to Ukrainian govt.

What they heard was President Donald Trump is intent on getting Europe to assume most of the financial & military responsibilities for defense of Ukraine, including a possible peacekeeping force not include U.S. troops. Hegseth said the force should not have Article Five protections, which could require U.S. or the 31 other nations of the NATO alliance to come to aid of those forces if they end up in contact with Russian forces.
https://apnews.com/article/nato-ukraine-...96444a32d0

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy called for the creation of a European army to boost the continent’s defenses as he warned that Russia was “not preparing for dialogue” to advance possible credible peace talks.

He said Ukraine had intelligence Russia plans to send troops to its ally Belarus this summer under the pretense of training exercises.

The Ukrainian president also warned that a meeting between presidents Trump and Putin, without the involvement of Ukraine, would be “very dangerous.”