Hegseth Skips NATO Talks, Dismisses Full Ukraine Victory and U.S. Military Role

Hegseth Skips Nato Talks, Dismisses Full Ukraine Victory And U.s. Military Role

Well, that’s one way to make a statement.

U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth just skipped a major NATO meeting on Ukraine—and no, he didn’t Zoom in.

According to CBS News, Hegseth was a no-show at this week’s NATO summit in Brussels, where defense ministers from nearly 50 countries gathered to hash out military aid for Ukraine. Instead, the U.S. sent its NATO Ambassador. Not quite the same vibe.

It’s the first time a U.S. defense chief has missed the Ukraine Defense Contact Group since it launched in 2022. A pretty bold move—and a loud one.

Why? Hegseth made it crystal clear in a CBS News interview: he thinks it’s time for a reality check.

“We need a ceasefire,” he said, adding that a full Ukrainian victory—including reclaiming Crimea and Donbas—is just “not realistic.”

Not exactly what Kyiv wants to hear.

And NATO membership for Ukraine? Hegseth flat-out said it’s not happening. He called it “not the outcome” of any deal on the table. Instead, he wants Europe to take the wheel.

“If there are security guarantees, they will not involve U.S. boots on the ground,” Hegseth told CBS News. That means European or other allied forces would be on the hook.

So where does that leave Ukraine?

President Volodymyr Zelenskyy is still calling for more Patriot missile systems and faster delivery of air defenses to shield cities from Russian strikes. He hasn’t exactly been subtle. But the U.S. is clearly easing off the gas.

And Hegseth isn’t dancing around it. He says Washington’s focus is shifting—to China. “We need to prepare for great-power competition,” he said, warning that too much attention on Russia could “drain our readiness.”

Meanwhile, European allies are stepping up. Germany and the UK are taking lead roles at the summit, pledging new drone systems and missile support. Still, with Hegseth absent and no new U.S. aid announced, the message is loud: America’s not steering this ship anymore.

Whether that’s a course correction or a slow walk away—well, that depends on who you ask.

But one thing’s for sure: Hegseth just sent NATO and Kyiv a very clear RSVP.

He’s not coming.