Senators question US defense chief over Russia-Ukraine war

WASHINGTON

US senators on Wednesday questioned Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth about the Trump administration's view of the ongoing Russia-Ukraine war.

"It probably won’t surprise you, but I’m going to start with Ukraine. And I’m gonna ask you a series of questions but I don’t want you to linger on any one of them but answer the series of questions in one answer. Number one, who’s the aggressor and who’s the victim in the conflict?" Sen. Mitch McConnell asked Hegseth.

"Russia is the aggressor," Hegseth replied during his testimony before the Senate Appropriations Defense Subcommittee along with Gen. Dan Caine, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff.

"Which side do you want to win?" McConnell asked.

"As we've said time and time again, this president (Donald Trump) is committed to peace in that conflict. Ultimately, peace serves our national interests, and we think the interests of both parties, even if that outcome will not be preferable to many in this room and many in our country," Hegseth said.

McConnell then said: "One thing I’m sure we agree on is we don’t want a headline at the end of this conflict that says Russia wins and America loses."

Sen. Chris Coons, for his part, asked Hegseth whether he agrees that the US should use "every tool as a disposal," including additional sanctions, to pressure Russia to come to the table to negotiate a "just and lasting peace" for the war in Ukraine.

"Senator, every tool at our disposal? No. We have a lot of tools in a lot of places," Hegseth said.

Coons said the US "cannot abandon Ukraine, that would put us significantly at a strategic disadvantage."

In a series of questions, Sen. Lindsey Graham, an ally of President Trump, asked Hegseth and Caine whether Russian President Vladimir Putin would "stop at Ukraine."

"I don't believe he is, sir," Caine said.

Graham asked the same question to Hegseth.

"Remains to be seen," the defense chief replied.

"Well, he (Putin) says he's not ... It doesn’t remain to be seen. He tells everybody around what he wants to do," Graham said.