US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth said a return to Ukraine's pre-2014 borders was unrealistic and the Trump administration does not see NATO membership for Kyiv as part of a solution to the war triggered by Russia's invasion.
"We want, like you, a sovereign and prosperous Ukraine. But we must start by recognizing that returning to Ukraine’s pre-2014 borders is an unrealistic objective," Hegseth told a meeting of Ukrainian officials and more than 40 allies at NATO headquarters in Brussels on Wednesday.
"Chasing this illusionary goal will only prolong the war and cause more suffering," he added.