Trump: "War Will Break Out If Ukraine Attempts NATO Membership"

"Russia Will Not Allow Ukraine's NATO Membership"

U.S. President Donald Trump said on the 13th (local time) that Ukraine's attempt to join the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) was the cause of the war and that Russia would never accept NATO membership in the ceasefire negotiations.

According to The New York Times (NYT) and the Associated Press (AP) on the same day, President Trump held a joint press conference after a summit with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi at the White House, stating, "Long before Vladimir Putin became president, Russia said it could not allow Ukraine to join NATO."

Donald Trump, President of the United States, is speaking at a press conference held after a meeting with Narendra Modi, Prime Minister of India, on the 13th (local time). Photo by AP Yonhap News

President Trump said, "In fact, I think that (Ukraine's desire to join NATO) is the cause of the war starting," adding, "That's the reality. I think it should be that way (opposing NATO membership)."

When asked what Russia should give up, he replied ambiguously, "It's too early to say what will happen in the negotiations," and "Russia may give up a lot, or it may not." He also said, "China plays a very important role and I think it can help end the war with Ukraine."

Regarding this, the political media outlet Politico evaluated, "In recent remarks, President Trump seemed to blame Ukraine as part of the cause of the war and appeared somewhat ambiguous in supporting European allies' stance that Ukraine must keep its own territory in the ceasefire agreement."

Prime Minister Modi said, "India is not neutral and stands on the side of peace," adding, "In the end, (Russia and Ukraine) must sit at the negotiating table, and only then can a solution be found."

President Trump said that U.S. and Russian officials plan to meet at the Munich Security Conference on the 14th, and Ukraine was also invited to this event. However, the Ukrainian government said it has no plans to hold talks with Russia. He also announced plans to hold a high-level meeting between the U.S., Russia, and Ukraine in Saudi Arabia next week following the Munich Security Conference.

Furthermore, he predicted that once the wars in Ukraine and the Middle East end, arms reduction negotiations including nuclear weapons would be conducted with China and Russia.

Meanwhile, U.S. Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth, after attending the NATO Defense Ministers meeting in Brussels, Belgium, said at a press conference that despite criticism within Europe that the U.S. is conceding to Russia before ceasefire negotiations even begin, "Negotiations will be led by President Trump, and everything is on the negotiating table while talking with both President Putin and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky."

He also emphasized, "Just as this alliance (NATO) is important in Europe, it is essential to cooperate with regional allies and partners in the Indo-Pacific who understand the reality of the China threat," urging Europe to take primary responsibility for European security and to increase defense spending to 5% of gross domestic product (GDP).