Great Britain — led by new defense secretary John Healey — is taking more of a leadership role in the defense of Ukraine as the United States pulls back in Europe, The Times reported.
The Trump administration requested that Healey convene next week’s meeting of more than 50 nations at the Ukraine Defense Contact Group in Brussels, The Times reported. U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth will attend Wednesday’s meeting.
Healey, who was appointed secretary of state for defense last July, has visited Ukraine several times since, according to the report published Thursday.
The Trump administration has informed the British government that it should be leading NATO in Europe, an effort welcomed and wanted by the U.K., according to The Times.
“This is us showing the UK is continuing to work with the US and allies to step up support for Ukraine. It is an opportunity to show that European nations are ready to do more — working alongside our US allies,” a British government official told The Times.
The U.S. had chaired all previous 25 meetings of the Ukraine defense panel since they began in April 2022, according to the report.
The Times also reported that the Trump administration is expected to announce its peace plan for Ukraine next Friday at the Munich Security Conference, two days after Wednesday’s gathering.
Healey and Hegseth had a phone call last week and are expected to meet in person for the first time on Wednesday.
“Good to speak to @PeteHegseth today, congratulating him on his new role at a critical time for global security,” Healey said in a post to X on Jan. 31. “We discussed the war in Ukraine, and our shared determination to sharpen our military focus on war fighting readiness,” he added in a separate post.
Mark Swanson ✉
Mark Swanson, a Newsmax writer and editor, has nearly three decades of experience covering news, culture and politics.
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