U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth issued a stern warning to Moscow on Wednesday, declaring that the United States and its allies are prepared to “impose costs on Russia for its continued aggression” if the war in Ukraine persists. His remarks came during a meeting of the Ukraine Defence Contact Group at NATO headquarters.
“If we must take this step, the U.S. War Department stands ready to do our part in ways that only the United States can do,” Hegseth said, without elaborating on specific measures. The comments coincided with deliberations within President Donald Trump’s administration over Ukraine’s request for long-range Tomahawk missiles.
Calling for a diplomatic resolution, Hegseth urged Russia to “come to the peace table,” adding, “This is not a war that started on President Trump’s watch, but it will end on his watch.”
Pressure on NATO Allies
Hegseth also pressed NATO members to increase their financial contributions to the Prioritized Ukraine Requirements List (PURL) programme, which has replaced direct U.S. arms donations with a system requiring allies to fund American weapons deliveries to Kyiv.
“You get peace when you are strong,” he said. “Not when you use strong words or wag your fingers, you get it when you have strong and real capabilities that adversaries respect.”
NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte noted that $2 billion had already been committed through the PURL mechanism, but the figure falls short of the $3.5 billion target set by Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy.
Sweden, Finland, and Estonia announced new pledges on Wednesday, while larger powers such as France and Britain have yet to make formal commitments. Hegseth emphasized the need for collective action, stating, “All countries around this table, no free riders.”
Declining Military Aid and Continued Conflict
Ukraine remains heavily dependent on U.S. military support as it prepares for another winter of conflict. Russia currently occupies approximately 20% of Ukrainian territory more than three-and-a-half years into its full-scale invasion.
A report released Tuesday by the Kiel Institute for the World Economy revealed that average monthly military aid to Ukraine dropped by 43% in July and August compared to the first half of the year. The institute noted that most assistance now flows through the PURL initiative, which includes contributions from Belgium, Canada, Denmark, Germany, Latvia, the Netherlands, Norway, and Sweden.
As diplomatic and military efforts intensify, the Contact Group meeting underscored the urgency of sustaining Ukraine’s defense capabilities and securing a path toward peace.
