Defense Minister Beit Higseth, President of the President, said Donald TrumpThe move towards negotiations with Russia to end the war with Ukraine was “no betrayal” during a visit to the NATO headquarters in Belgium on Thursday.
Higseth answered the question of one of the correspondents about the United States, who is likely to betray Ukraine after Trump received a phone call to Russian President Vladimir Putin about starting negotiating peace without Kiev's full participation.
“There is no betrayal there,” Higseth told reporters. “There is recognition that the whole world and the United States are investors and interested in peace, peace negotiations.”
Russia and Ukraine were a war Since February 2022, when Russia has first invaded her neighboring mother. Trump had repeatedly said that he was at the Campaign's path that if he was president in 2022, the war-a pledge to end it if he was re-elected.
The United States Defense Minister Beit Higseth is speaking with the media with his arrival at a meeting of NATO defense ministers at NATO headquarters in Brussels on Thursday, February 13, 2025. (AP Photo/Harry Nakos)
On Wednesday, Trump said he had A “lengthy” call with Putin, Which included the Russian leader who immediately agrees to the start of negotiations on the war in Ukraine. Trump also spoke with Zelinski separately. After talks with both leaders, Trump said he was “perhaps” he will personally meet with the Russian leader in the short term, perhaps in Saudi Arabia.
When answering a separate question, Higseth referred to phone calls and referred to Trump's ability as a negotiator.
The Secretary -General of NATO Mark Root, the right, and the United States Defense Secretary, Beit Higseth, addresses a media conference during a meeting of NATO defense ministers at the NATO headquarters in Brussels on Thursday, February 13, 2025. (AP Photo/Geert Vanden Wijngaert)
“I think you saw President Trump yesterday, which is the same as the best negotiator on this planet, combining their two sides to find a negotiating peace, which everyone wants in the end,” he said. “So I look forward to the ministerial today with NATO allies To hold honest talks about what we are. “
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Hegseth also said he believed Trump is “one man in the world is able to hold parties together to bring peace.”
During his visit to NATO headquarters on Wednesday, Higsith told the allies that “returning to Ukraine borders before 2014 It is an unrealistic goal, “while Trump works to end the war.
“He intends to end this war with diplomacy and bring Russia and Ukraine to the table,” he said. “We want the sovereign and prosperous Ukraine. But we must start by realizing that returning to the pre -2014 boundaries in Ukraine is an unrealistic goal. Has to chase this delusion will only lengthen war and cause more suffering.”
This report contributed to this report.
