Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth stated on Friday that deploying U.S. troops to Ukraine is improbable, yet emphasized complete agreement with Vice President Vance’s position.
During a joint press conference with Polish Deputy Prime Minister and Defense Minister Władysław Kosiniak-Kamysz, Hegseth addressed the prospect of U.S. troops in Ukraine. While initially dismissing the idea, he later avoided a definitive rejection.
Hegseth added that he would not preemptively limit the President’s negotiating options with Russia and Ukraine.
On Thursday, Vance reportedly told [News Outlet] that sending U.S. troops to Ukraine remained a possibility.
Vance also suggested that economic or military pressure on Russia could end the nearly three-year conflict. He indicated that President Trump seeks productive negotiations between Presidents Zelenskyy and Putin, hinting at a potentially surprising agreement.
Vance is in Germany for the Munich Security Conference, where a meeting with Zelenskyy is anticipated.
The Vice President’s comments appear to contrast with Hegseth’s earlier statements to the Ukraine Defense Contact Group in Brussels. Hegseth emphasized security guarantees supported by European and non-European troops, explicitly ruling out U.S. troop deployment.
“To be clear, as part of any security guarantee, there will not be U.S. troops deployed to Ukraine,” he stated.
At the Munich Security Conference, Senator Roger Wicker expressed surprise and concern over Hegseth’s Brussels remarks, deeming them a “rookie mistake” for preemptively defining negotiation parameters.
Trump has consistently advocated for ending the Ukraine-Russia war, claiming it would not have begun under his presidency.
On Wednesday, [News Outlet] reported that Putin agreed to immediate negotiations to end the war following a call with Trump.
Trump assigned Secretary of State Marco Rubio, CIA Director John Ratcliffe, National Security Advisor Michael Waltz, and Ambassador Steve Witkoff to lead these negotiations, expressing confidence in their success.