 "US ready to ‘impose costs’ on Russia if war in Ukraine drags on, says Hegseth")
US Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth on Wednesday warned that the United States and its allies are prepared to escalate pressure on Russia if its war against Ukraine persists.
Addressing a meeting of the Ukraine Defense Contact Group convened by the United Kingdom and Germany at Nato headquarters, Hegseth emphasised Washington’s commitment to holding Moscow accountable.
“If we must take this step, the US War Department stands ready to do our part in ways that only the United States can do,” Reuters quoted Hegseth as saying, adding that allied nations would act to “impose costs on Russia for its continued aggression.”
Hegseth asserted that the war in Ukraine will end under President Donald Trump’s leadership, while calling on European allies to shoulder greater responsibility for the continent’s defence.
“President Trump knows how to forge peace, to create opportunities in situations, in scenarios where peace seems far off… This is not a war that started on President Trump’s watch, but it will end on his watch,” Hegseth added
European defence spending
Hegseth acknowledged that European nations have ramped up their defence contributions for Ukraine in recent months but stressed that the burden of conventional defence in Europe must primarily rest on the continent’s own nations.
“Now, of course, the United States will do its part, but Europeans must continue to take primary responsibility for the conventional defense of the continent,” he said.
Impact Shorts
More ShortsHe also praised allied participation in the Prioritized Ukraine Requirements List (PURL) initiative, introduced by Nato in July, and warned against complacency among member states.
“All countries need to translate goals into guns, commitments into capabilities, and pledges into power. That’s all that matters. Hard power — it’s the only thing belligerents actually respect,” he said.
The PURL initiative, launched after President Trump temporarily suspended military aid to Ukraine over concerns of unequal burden-sharing, allows the US to supply weapons while European allies cover the costs.
As of August, countries including Belgium, Canada, Denmark, Germany, Latvia, the Netherlands, Norway, and Sweden had collectively pledged $2.2 billion to the programme.
Washington has shifted closer to Kyiv as President Trump has lost patience with Russian leader Vladimir Putin for stalling on peace efforts.
Ukraine’s defence minister Denys Shmygal said Kyiv hoped the total committed under the initiative would reach “12 to 20 billion dollars” next year.
He said that overall Kyiv was looking to get support for its military worth some $60 billion from its backers in 2026.
The talks among Ukraine’s supporters come as Trump mulls the supply of long-range Tomahawk missiles to Kyiv.
The Kremlin has warned Washington against the move, but Trump may be willing to let Kyiv hit far inside Russia to pressure Putin towards peace.
The US leader is set to host Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelenskyy on Friday at the White House.
With inputs from agencies
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