National Security Adviser Mike Waltz is a no on adding Ukraine to NATO.
He says Ukraine’s defense is something European allies can help to fund, but requiring American mutual defense for Kyiv is a nonstarter.
“We are absolutely committed to NATO writ large, our Article 5 treaty agreements with other NATO countries, but the security guarantees for Ukraine is a different conversation,” the Donald Trump appointee said on “Fox & Friends.”
“One of the things that we fully support is both France and the United Kingdom and other Europeans saying they would be willing to enter into very strong security guarantees for the future of Ukraine. That’s a different conversation.”
Waltz’s position aligns with that of the Trump administration overall, including Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth, who recently said he does not believe that “NATO membership for Ukraine is a realistic outcome of a negotiated settlement” and that “there will not be U.S. troops deployed to Ukraine.”
Ukrainian leader Volodymyr Zelenskyy has offered to resign in exchange for NATO membership, but that assurance likely won’t be tested anytime soon.
Though Waltz opposes Ukraine in NATO, he still advocates for an arrangement where the U.S. offers security guarantees in exchange for rights to the country’s rare earth minerals.
“Our position has been (that) 50% of something that is much larger growing the pie is better than the 100% of where they are today,” Waltz said.
“So let’s grow together in an economic partnership, and of course, the U.S. would protect our assets for which we are invested in. This could mean trillions, not only for the Ukrainian people, but for us, and stability for the region, and that economic investment is one of the best security guarantees that Ukraine could hope for.”
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