Pentagon chief absent from crucial Ukraine defense summit
U.S. Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth will not attend the upcoming meeting of the Ukraine Defense Contact Group, marking the first time a Pentagon chief has been absent since the group’s inception, according to a report by the Associated Press.
What do you need to know?
- The meeting of the Ukraine Defence Contact Group will take place on June 4 in Brussels.
- Pentagon Chief Pete Hegseth will not attend the summit.
- This will be the first meeting without the presence of the U.S. Secretary of Defense.
The 28th meeting of the Ukraine Defense Contact Group is scheduled to take place on June 4 at 8:00 a.m. Eastern Time at NATO headquarters in Brussels. The group was founded in 2022 by former U.S. Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin to coordinate international military support for Ukraine.
Pete Hegseth, who succeeded Lloyd Austin as U.S. Secretary of Defense, continued to engage with the Ukraine Defense Contact Group following his appointment. He participated in the February 12 meeting at 8:00 a.m. Eastern Time, although not in the chair's role. On April 11, also at 8:00 a.m. ET, Hegseth joined the summit remotely, maintaining his involvement despite not being physically present.
The first occurrence. Hegseth will be absent
According to the Associated Press, Pete Hegseth will not participate in the upcoming meeting at all—neither in person nor virtually. He is not expected to arrive in Brussels until after the conference concludes. If confirmed, this would mark the first time the U.S. Secretary of Defense is absent from a meeting of approximately 50 Kyiv allies convened in the so-called Ramstein format, underscoring a notable shift in American presence at the forum.
The June 4 summit will be co-chaired by the United Kingdom and Germany, taking place against the backdrop of heightened tensions as Russia continues to reject calls for a ceasefire and is reportedly preparing new offensive operations against Ukraine.
Ukraine has urged its international partners to step up investments in defense manufacturing and to supply additional air defense systems—particularly Patriot batteries—to bolster its ability to counter the escalating wave of Russian aerial assaults.
