Ukraine Must Be at the Heart of Any Peace Negotiations, States UK Defense Chief

Ukraine’s voice must be central to any peace negotiations to end the war with Russia, UK Defense Secretary John Healey stated as NATO allies convened in Brussels on February 13.

“We’ve seen the calls from President Trump overnight and we all want to see a durable peace and no return to conflict and aggression – and let’s not forget, Russia remains a threat well beyond Ukraine,” Healey said.

“So, my message in these discussions will be that there can be no negotiation about Ukraine without Ukraine, and Ukraine’s voice must be at the heart of any talks.”

Morningstar reported Healey added that allies must support Kyiv, ensuring its strength in order to achieve lasting peace.

“Ukrainians are fighting bravely… It’s our job as defense ministers here at NATO to put them in the best position to secure a lasting peace through strength.”

German Defense Minister Boris Pistorius has voiced support for a potential swift peace agreement between Russia and Ukraine but criticized the Trump administration for “regrettably” making public concessions to Putin before negotiations had even started.

Previously, on February 12, US Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth told NATO allies that “returning to Ukraine’s pre-2014 borders is an unrealistic objective,” as US President Donald Trump focuses on efforts to end the war.