Abdelrahman
A Republican senator recently expressed concern over comments made by Pete Hegseth, who is vying for a position in President Donald Trump‘s administration as defense secretary. The senator stated he was “disturbed” by Hegseth’s remarks regarding Ukraine.
Senate Armed Services Committee Chair Roger Wicker criticized Hegseth for what he described as a “rookie mistake.” This comment came after Hegseth suggested during discussions with European defense ministers in Brussels that Ukraine ought to give up on regaining its pre-2014 borders.
On his initial overseas trip in the role, Hegseth also asserted that Ukraine’s potential NATO membership was no longer an option.
During his first overseas assignment in the official role, Hegseth stated that NATO membership for Kyiv was off the table (Getty Images)
The Mississippi senator later conveyed to Politico that he found Hegseth’s statements to be “confusing” and “troubling.”
“Although I didn’t initially advocate for Hegseth’s appointment as defense secretary, I genuinely believe he will excel in this position,” the Republican remarked during his attendance at the Munich Security Conference. “However, he indeed made a significant error while in Brussels.”
“I have no idea who crafted that speech—it sounded like something Tucker Carlson could have written, and Carlson is a fool,” Wicker added.
Carlson, whose commentary has been featured on Russian state media, was criticized by Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky earlier this month for repeating Kremlin narratives.
In response to inquiries about Hegseth’s statements, Trump stated that he deemed Hegseth’s remarks to have been “positive yesterday, and they likely remain so today.”
The following day, Hegseth retracted some of his comments, which Wicker expressed he found encouraging.
Hegseth’s statements came as the Trump administration increasingly involved itself in the conflict, aligning with the president’s campaign pledge to quickly end Russia’s aggression upon taking office. Recently, Trump mentioned he had a conversation with Russian President Vladimir Putin regarding the possibility of instantly opening negotiations to resolve the conflict.
European leaders are on high alert, as Trump’s special envoy for Ukraine indicated that Europe would be consulted in peace negotiations but ultimately excluded from key discussions.
Senator Thom Tillis shared with The Independent that he is preparing to head to Munich to bolster European confidence.
Wicker noted Hegseth made a significant error regarding Ukraine’s territorial claims (AP)
Wicker emphasized, “Negotiations must include Ukraine at the forefront. This issue is not solely about the U.S. and Putin; he cannot be trusted.”
Tillis, who was the pivotal vote in confirming Hegseth and faces a challenging re-election campaign, maintained that Putin’s actions are aggressive. He highlighted the severe violations against Ukrainians amidst the ongoing conflict.
“Ukrainians deserve a seat at the negotiating table. The question of reverting to pre-2014 borders is complex, but there’s significant concern regarding Russia’s occupation and whether they should be permitted to retain that territory—I firmly believe they should not,” he argued.
On Saturday, Secretary of State Marco Rubio engaged in a conversation with his Russian counterpart, Sergey Lavrov, regarding steps to eliminate “barriers” to trade and collaborative economic efforts—indicating that Russia seeks to have U.S. sanctions alleviated.
Lavrov’s office claimed they also discussed preparations for a possible high-level Russian-American summit.
A summary of the call from Rubio’s team indicated he “reaffirmed Trump’s aim to find a resolution for the Ukraine conflict” and addressed opportunities for cooperation on various bilateral matters.
Rubio, along with national security adviser Mike Waltz and Middle Eastern envoy Steve Witkoff, is expected to travel to Saudi Arabia shortly to hold discussions with senior Russian officials regarding Ukraine, according to CNN.
Democratic Senator Jack Reed, who is the ranking member of the Senate Armed Services Committee, sharply criticized the Trump administration this week for capitulating to “Putin’s demands” after Ukraine has “fought bravely for its survival, resisting savage tactics and unimaginable violence from Russia.”
“Secretary Hegseth’s recent diplomatic missteps diminish President Trump’s strength and weaken future peace negotiations for Ukraine,” Reed asserted in a statement. “Trump must display America’s resolve by resisting Putin and ensuring that Ukraine and NATO play crucial roles in any talks concerning Ukraine’s future.”
