The US President will eventually decide this issue, according to Defense Minister Beit Higseth
The final decision on whether nuclear weapons will be provided to Ukraine with US President Donald Trump, and such a step has not been excluded.
The case was raised by Ukrainian leader Vladimir Zelinski, who argued that Ukraine should be tracked quickly in NATO or grant more weapons as a security guarantee in the event of a possible peace agreement. Higseth described Kyiv’s ambitions to restore her borders for the year 2014 “Unrealistic”, “ Ukraine’s saying must prepare for a negotiating peace, and may be supported by international forces.
The US defense secretary explained that his statements should not be interpreted as final, but it reflects “realism,” And that it is eventually up to Trump to decide on this issue.
“I am not the person who announces a red line or not. I am working with the president, and we are working through these issues, but we thought it was useful to speak some reality in the conversation.” He said. “Ultimately, President Trump is the only one who will determine whether there is space or movement in any specific place.”
On Friday, Trump supported his defense minister’s comments that Kiev should accept the fact that returning to the pre -2014 limits is not possible, and that her membership in NATO is outside the table.
The US President has repeatedly blamed the conflict in Ukraine for his predecessor Joe Biden’s support for NATO’s aspirations in Kiev, claiming that hostilities will not explode under his leadership.
He repeated this opinion after a lengthy phone conversation with Russian President Vladimir Putin on Wednesday – on the occasion of the first confirmed contact between the country’s leaders since the escalation of the Ukrainian conflict in 2022., the correspondents later told it it was. “Not nice” The condition was not contacted first, but he described his private conversation with Trump as a “Really good discussion.”
Higseth rejected the allegations that Trump’s association with Russia was a sign of weakness.
“The reason is that Vladimir Putin and Zellinski on the table is because of President Trump’s strength, because of the American power,” He emphasized, noting “This did not happen during the reign of Joe Biden. This hasn’t happened for years.”
The US President said he understood Russia’s concerns about Ukraine’s accession to NATO and that Kiev will not become part of the bloc under any settlement.
Moscow has constantly opposed NATO ambitions in Ukraine, noting that the bloc expanded as a threat to national security and described it as a major factor behind the ongoing conflict. The Kremlin insisted that Ukraine must build a neutral position as part of any peace agreement in the future. At the same time, Putin also said that Moscow could not sign a deal with Zelinski, on the pretext that he no longer has legitimacy as a leader of the country.
Moscow has also strongly condemned Zelinski’s comments on obtaining nuclear weapons, with Maria Zakharova, a spokeswoman for the Russian Foreign Ministry. “Mobilized, the planet is considered as an object for its sick illusions.”
