US Defense Chief Heads to Europe for NATO, Ukraine Talks

Greenwatch Desk Diplomacy 2025-02-11, 1:32pm

U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth is embarking on his first international trip since taking office last month, with visits planned for Germany, Belgium, and Poland. Hegseth departed from Joint Base Andrews early Monday, and his trip is set to include key meetings on NATO defense and Ukraine’s defense efforts.

In Germany, he will visit U.S. European Command and U.S. Africa Command headquarters for updates on developments in both regions. From there, he will head to Brussels for the NATO Defense Ministerial and a meeting of the Ukraine Defense Contact Group on Wednesday and Thursday.

Hegseth is expected to encourage European allies to increase defense spending and take a more active role in addressing regional challenges. He will also reiterate U.S. President Donald Trump’s push for a diplomatic resolution to the ongoing Russia-Ukraine war, which nears its third year.

The Ukraine Defense Contact Group meeting, involving nearly 50 nations supporting Ukraine, will be the first held under the new Trump administration and led by Britain. This session will focus on the international community’s continued support for Ukraine in its defense against Russia’s invasion.

Following the Brussels meetings, Hegseth will visit Poland to meet with local leaders and U.S. troops. Notably, he has opted to skip the Munich Security Conference, choosing instead to engage directly with troops and visit U.S. military commands in Germany. "I’d much rather talk to troops than go to cocktail parties. That’s my job,” Hegseth said during a Pentagon town hall last week.

The U.S. will be represented at the Munich conference by Vice President JD Vance and Secretary of State Marco Rubio.