BRUSSELS — On Wednesday, U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth visited NATO headquarters in Brussels for the first time since the new Trump administration took office, amid anticipation regarding the extent of military and financial aid Washington plans to extend to Ukraine’s government.
During his visit, Hegseth engaged in discussions with U.K. Defense Secretary John Healey prior to a meeting of the Ukraine Defense Contact Group. This forum was originally established in 2022 by Hegseth’s predecessor, former Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin, to facilitate the supply of arms and ammunition to Ukraine.
Over the last three years, approximately 50 nations have collectively aided Ukraine with more than $126 billion in military assistance. This week’s meeting marked a significant shift, as it was convened by the United Kingdom, a departure from the trend where the United States led all previous sessions.
Currently, no decisions have been made regarding the leadership of any future gathering. Hegseth was not anticipated to announce any new firearms or military resources for Ukraine during this trip.
This visit occurs just under two weeks before the third anniversary of Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine on February 24, 2022. Numerous U.S. allies express concern that if Russian President Vladimir Putin achieves success in Ukraine, he may further threaten regional security.
U.S. President Donald Trump has indicated a desire to expedite an end to the conflict, yet he has also voiced concerns over the financial burden on American taxpayers. He has suggested that Ukraine should compensate the United States for its support by granting access to its energy resources and rare earth minerals.
Some U.S. partners fear that a rushed agreement might be reached that could undermine Ukraine’s interests. Additionally, Trump seems to hold the view that European nations should ultimately shoulder responsibility for regional security going forward.
The 31 NATO allies are also keen to understand the new administration’s plans concerning the alliance, especially in light of Trump’s earlier threats during his previous term to withdraw U.S. support from any member nation not adhering to NATO’s military spending guidelines.
NATO’s fundamental principle maintains that any attack on one member is viewed as an attack on all, promising a unified response. This principle is particularly relevant to Ukraine as it seeks to secure its own safety and security guarantees.
On Thursday, discussions will focus on Ukraine’s defense budget and security needs. Following Putin’s military actions, many European allies have increased their defense spending. Reports suggest that 23 of these nations have now met or surpassed the 2% GDP military spending target set for last year.
Despite this progress, one-third of member countries have yet to achieve this goal, which is likely to attract Trump’s scrutiny once more. Recently, he proposed raising NATO’s defense spending target to 5% of GDP, a level not yet attained by any member, including Poland, which is expected to come close, spending over 4% this year.
While speaking to the media in Germany on Tuesday, Hegseth refrained from committing to a U.S. defense spending increase to 5% of GDP. He expressed the belief that spending should exceed what it was under the Biden administration and not dip below 3%. Hegseth remarked that any definitive choice would ultimately fall to Trump, noting the need for fiscal responsibility concerning taxpayer funds. Presently, defense spending in the U.S. stands at about 3.3% of GDP.
NATO leaders are anticipated to reach consensus on new spending benchmarks during their upcoming summit in The Hague, Netherlands, scheduled for June 24-26.
