Pete Hegseth To Skip Ukraine Defence Group Meet Again, Pentagon Policy Chief To Attend

Last Updated:April 14, 2026, 22:35 IST

Pete Hegseth has only sporadically attended the meetings over the past year — a sign that the Trump administration has other priorities.

US Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth will once again skip this week’s Ukraine Defense Contact Group meeting, underscoring a broader shift in Washington priorities as European allies take on a greater role in supporting Kyiv.

As reported by Politico, citing officials familiar with the matter, instead of Hegseth, the Pentagon will send policy chief Elbridge Colby to represent the United States at the virtual gathering. Colby also attended the group’s previous meeting in February.

Hegseth has only sporadically attended the meetings over the past year — a sign that the Trump administration has other priorities and increasingly expects Europe to shoulder the burden of supplying weapons to Kyiv. Hegseth’s absence is part of a pattern over the past year and reflects the administration’s evolving defense strategy under US President Donald Trump, which places greater emphasis on homeland security, the Western Hemisphere, and the Asia-Pacific region, the report added.

The Ukraine Defense Contact Group — a coalition of more than 50 countries backing Ukraine — will convene Wednesday under the leadership of German Defense Minister Boris Pistorius and UK Defense Secretary John Healey. These two nations assumed coordination of the group after the Trump administration stepped back from its leadership role earlier this year.

Senior NATO leadership will also be partially absent. The alliance’s top commander, General Alexus Grynkewich, will miss the meeting, though his deputy, UK Air Chief Marshal Johnny Stringer, and German Major General Ulf Häussler are expected to participate.

“NATO continues to deliver crucial support" to Ukraine, Grynkewich’s spokesperson, Col. Martin O’Donnell said in a statement. “The involvement of these two leaders in this meeting ensures it."

The administration’s shifting stance has strained relations with European allies. Washington has pressed NATO countries to increase defense spending — particularly on American-made weapons — while simultaneously signaling reduced US involvement in European security matters. Tensions have also grown over Europe’s reluctance to support US actions in Iran, with some nations limiting cooperation.

While Trump has demanded that NATO countries send ships to help re-open the Strait of Hormuz, the UK has called together meetings of dozens of allies in an attempt to coordinate some sort of response, but so far none has been announced.

The Trump administration halted new military assistance for Kyiv upon entering office, but kept up shipments of previously pledged weapons and equipment that was granted under the Biden administration. Through it all, the US has continued to share battlefield intelligence with Ukraine, however, and a new program was implemented to allow European allies to purchase US-made arms for shipment to Kyiv.

A new mechanism, the Prioritised Ukraine Requirements List (PURL), enables European countries to purchase US-made arms for Ukraine and has already resulted in billions of dollars in contracts.

Still, concerns remain about the durability of that pipeline. US officials have warned allies that weapons supplies could face disruptions as the Pentagon shifts resources toward other conflicts, including Iran.

News world Pete Hegseth To Skip Ukraine Defence Group Meet Again, Pentagon Policy Chief To Attend

Read More