US aid to Ukraine could become 'carrot or stick' in talks with Russia, Hegseth says
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U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth did not rule out that future U.S. aid to Ukraine could become a bargaining tool in negotiations to end Russia's war, CNN reported on Feb. 13.
Speaking at a press conference in Brussels, Hegseth said that U.S. President Donald Trump's administration continues to deliver the allocated security assistance to Ukraine but hinted that future funding could be conditional.
"I think it would be fair to say that things like future funding, either less or more, could be on the table in negotiations as well," Hegseth said. He emphasized that Trump will decide what measures to use in potential talks with Russia.
"Whatever the president determines is the most robust carrot or stick on either side to induce a durable peace, understanding, obviously, the motivations that Vladimir Putin has had on Ukraine for quite some time," Hegseth added.
Trump has also signaled that U.S. aid to Ukraine could be tied to economic incentives, including access to Ukraine's rare earth minerals.
Ukrainian Defense Minister Rustem Umerov said on Feb. 13 that NATO is assuming a greater role in supporting Ukraine, even as the future of U.S. military aid remains uncertain.
Previously, Hegseth said the U.S. does not consider Ukraine's NATO accession a "realistic outcome" of negotiations. Trump echoed this stance, saying that he does not believe Ukraine joining the alliance is practical.
Ukraine officially applied for NATO membership in September 2022, following Russia's full-scale invasion. While alliance members reaffirmed in 2024 that Ukraine's path to NATO is "irreversible," no formal invitation has been extended.
Russia has repeatedly used Ukraine's potential NATO membership as a justification for its invasion, a claim widely dismissed by Kyiv and its Western allies.
