In a dramatic change, U.S. officials have clarified comments made by Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth about NATO membership and security assurances for Ukraine. Only a day after Hegseth hinted that these options were not on the table, several senior U.S. officials, including Vice President JD Vance, confirmed that all is still negotiable.
Hegseth, in a follow-up statement, emphasized that until former President Donald Trump makes a definitive decision on U.S. policy, all options—including NATO membership—are still under consideration. “I want to be clear about something regarding NATO membership not being a realistic outcome for negotiations. That was part of my remarks coordinated with how we’re executing ongoing negotiations led by President Trump. Everything is on the table,” he stated, as reported by CBS News.
Trump’s deputy envoy to Ukraine, John Coale, repeated this same sentiment, agreeing that NATO membership for Ukraine was not off the table. Coale also referred to Hegseth’s previous remarks regarding Europe, stating that European countries want to be part of the peace process, if only their respective roles are not yet clearly outlined.
Backing the updated position, Vice President Vance showed that all the economic and military measures are on the table, including the deployment of U.S. troops in Ukraine if it comes to it. In a conversation with The Wall Street Journal, Vance noted that the U.S. has multiple tools of leverage against Russian President Vladimir Putin, stressing that preserving Ukraine’s sovereignty is important.
As talks for a post-war Ukraine take place, Vance showed hope that an unexpected agreement could come from negotiations. He assured that Trump would head into negotiations with an open mind, saying, “Everything is on the table; let’s make a deal.”
Trump may also offer concessions in the conversation, according to Vance, by negotiating give-and-takes based on the negotiation dynamics and interests of the people of Ukraine.
