U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth issued a stern warning to Moscow on Wednesday, declaring that the United States and its allies would “impose costs on Russia for its continued aggression” if the war in Ukraine does not come to an end. Speaking at the Ukraine Defence Contact Group meeting at NATO headquarters, Hegseth emphasized Washington’s readiness to act decisively if necessary, saying the U.S. War Department “stands ready to do our part in ways that only the United States can do.”
Hegseth’s remarks come as President Donald Trump’s administration weighs Ukraine’s request for long-range Tomahawk missiles. Urging diplomacy, Hegseth said, “Now is the time to end this tragic war, stop the needless bloodshed, and come to the peace table,” adding that although the conflict did not begin under Trump, it “will end on his watch.”
The U.S. defense chief also pressed NATO allies to increase funding for Ukraine through the Prioritized Ukraine Requirements List (PURL) program, which replaced direct U.S. arms donations and now requires partners to purchase American-made weapons for Kyiv. “You get peace when you are strong,” Hegseth stated, calling on all NATO members to contribute more significantly and warning against “free riders.”
NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte confirmed that around $2 billion had already been pledged through the PURL mechanism, though this remains short of the $3.5 billion goal set by Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy. Sweden, Finland, and Estonia announced new aid packages, but larger powers like France and Britain have yet to make fresh commitments.
The Kiel Institute for the World Economy reported a 43% decline in average monthly military aid to Ukraine during July and August compared to earlier in the year. Despite this, Ukraine continues to rely heavily on U.S. and allied weapons as it faces another harsh winter and ongoing Russian occupation of roughly 20% of its territory.