“Ukraine NATO membership is not a ‘realistic’ outcome”, says US Defense Secretary

US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth made his first trip to NATO in Brussels on Wednesday, as allies await to learn how much military and financial support Washington intends to provide to Ukraine’s government. He stated that “the United States doesn’t believe NATO membership for Ukraine is a realistic outcome for a negotiated settlement. Instead, any security guarantee must be backed by capable European and non-European troops, deployed as part of a non-NATO mission.

Can Ukraine still secure the guarantees it needs to enter talks on ending the war? How will the Kremlin react? FRANCE24 International Affairs Editor Douglas Herbert explains.