Hegseth, Vance appear to give different answers on sending troops to Ukraine
Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth addressed reporters on Friday, stating that it is unlikely for U.S. troops to be deployed in Ukraine. However, he emphasized that there was complete alignment between himself and Vice President JD Vance on this matter.
During a joint press conference with Polish Deputy Prime Minister and Defense Minister Władysław Kosiniak-Kamysz, Hegseth discussed the potential of sending U.S. troops to Ukraine. Initially, he seemed to dismiss the idea, but later hinted that it was not entirely off the table.
Hegseth emphasized that he would not place any restrictions on what the President of the United States may negotiate with the sovereign leaders of both Russia and Ukraine.
In a recent interview with The Wall Street Journal, Vice President Vance mentioned that the option of deploying U.S. troops to Ukraine was still being considered. He also mentioned the possibility of using economic or military measures against Russia to bring an end to the ongoing war. Vance expressed President Donald Trump’s desire for productive negotiations with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and Russian President Vladimir Putin, suggesting that a surprising deal could be reached.
Vance is currently in Germany for the Munich Security Conference, where he is expected to meet with Zelenskyy.
The comments made by Vice President Vance appear to contradict the stance taken by Hegseth earlier in the week during his address to the Ukraine Defense Contact Group in Brussels. Hegseth stated that instead of admitting Ukraine to NATO, security assurances to the country would be supported by capable European and non-European troops. However, he explicitly ruled out the deployment of U.S. troops to Ukraine.
Senator Roger Wicker, Chair of the Senate Armed Services Committee, expressed confusion and concern regarding Hegseth’s remarks in Brussels, labeling them as a “rookie mistake.”
President Trump has consistently advocated for ending the conflict between Ukraine and Russia, asserting that the war would not have erupted if he were still in office. In a recent announcement, Trump revealed that he had a productive phone call with Putin, where they agreed to initiate negotiations to resolve the conflict in Ukraine. Trump appointed Secretary of State Marco Rubio, CIA Director John Ratcliffe, National Security Advisor Michael Waltz, and Ambassador Steve Witkoff as negotiators, expressing confidence in their ability to achieve success.
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