In a significant departure from tradition, US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth will not attend the upcoming Ukraine Defense Contact Group meeting in Brussels, marking the first time a US Defense Secretary has missed a gathering of the group. The meeting, which brings together 50 defense ministers from around the world, is scheduled to take place on Wednesday. Despite Hegseth’s absence, the US has reaffirmed its commitment to ending the war in Ukraine as quickly as possible, with Pentagon press secretary Kingsley Wilson stressing that the US is focused on establishing an enduring peace.
The US has played a crucial role in the Ukraine Defense Contact Group, providing Ukraine with approximately $126 billion in weapons and military assistance since the group’s inception in April 2022. Under former Pentagon chief Lloyd Austin, the US served as the group’s chair, with the secretary and chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff attending monthly meetings. However, Hegseth’s absence from this meeting has raised eyebrows, with some citing scheduling issues as the reason. An unnamed US official confirmed that Hegseth will not participate in the meeting remotely, and instead, US Ambassador to NATO Matthew Whitaker will represent Washington at the gathering.
Hegseth’s decision to skip the meeting has been seen by some as a sign of the Trump administration’s shifting relationship with Europe and Ukraine. The administration has not announced new military assistance for Ukraine, and has instead urged EU governments to increase their military spending and reduce their reliance on Washington. Hegseth himself has expressed skepticism about US involvement in the Ukraine conflict, stating in February that returning Ukraine to its 2014 borders is “unrealistic” and that the country is unlikely to join NATO.
Despite these developments, the Trump administration has positioned itself as a key mediator in the conflict, pushing for peace between Russia and Ukraine. Moscow has praised Washington’s efforts, citing the US’s understanding of Russia’s security concerns related to Kiev’s desire to join NATO and the bloc’s expansion towards Russian borders. Hegseth is scheduled to attend a NATO meeting in Brussels on Thursday, where he will likely face questions about his absence from the Ukraine Defense Contact Group meeting and the US’s ongoing commitment to the region. As the situation in Ukraine continues to unfold, the US’s role in the conflict remains a subject of intense interest and speculation.
