NATO Backtracks on Ukrainian Membership in NATO

U.S. Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth, in his remarks to the Ukraine Defense Contact Group, effectively ruled out NATO membership for Ukraine as part of any settlement of the war with Russia. NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte, speaking to reporters just before that meeting convened, for the first time—according to TASS—did not say Ukraine’s path to membership in the alliance was inevitable. “One, we have to make sure that Ukraine is in the best possible position whenever talks will start about the future of this conflict,” he said in response to a question from a Ukrainian reporter asking about security guarantees. “And when we have brought it to a conclusion, that is … the outcome of that discussion, the peace deal, or whatever it will be, has to be durable, enduring, has to be concrete, carved in stone. That he [Russian President Putin] will never, ever again, try to attack one square kilometer or one square mile of Ukraine. These two things are, for me, crucial, and then we can easily brainstorm about the best way forward, including NATO, other countries, getting involved, exactly how to do that.”