Brussels (AP)-many NATO-Allied emphasized on Thursday that Ukraine and Europe must not be abolished from any peace negotiations when US defense secretary Pete Hegseth denied that the United States is betraying the war-handled country.

European governments roll after The Trump administration signaled That it plans face-to-face calls with Russia to end the Ukraine war without involving them, insisted that Kiev would not go with NATO and said it is up to Europe to protect himself and Ukraine from what Russia can do thereafter.

“There can be no negotiation on Ukraine but Ukraine. And Ukraine’s voice must be at the heart of all conversations, “the British defense secretary John Healey told reporters at the NATO head office, as the organization’s 32 defense ministers met for conversations about Ukraine.

The German Defense Minister Boris Pistorius said: “For me it is clear … that Europe must be involved in the negotiations – and I think it is very easy to understand”, especially if Europe is “supposed to play a central or lead role in peace order.”

Europe, he said, “will have to live directly” with the consequences, so “it goes without saying that we must be part of the negotiations.”

Hegseth denied that the United States has betrayed Ukraine by starting negotiations on its future without Kiev’s full commitment. After talking with Putin and then Zelenskyy, Trump said on Wednesday that he “probably” would meet personally with the Russian leader in the short term, possibly in Saudi Arabia.

“There is no storage there. There is recognition that the whole world and the United States are investing and interested in peace. A negotiated peace, ”Hesth told reporters.

Hegseth warned that the war in Ukraine must “be an alarm clock” for NATO’s European allies to spend more on their own defense budgets.

Twenty -three of the 32 member states were estimated to have fulfilled the organization’s guideline to spend 2% of the gross domestic product on their national defense budgets last year, but a third still does not.

But Hegseth’s French counterpart, Sébastien Lecornu, described the hassle of larger defense spending as “a false debate”, saying that governments and parliaments throughout Europe are already approving more weapons purchases and major military budgets while Ukraine helps Ukraine to avert an invasion.

Lecornu warned that NATO’s future is now being questioned.

“To say that it is the largest and most robust alliance in history is true, historically. But the real question is that this is still the case of 10 or 15 years, “he said after the United States – superior NATO’s largest and most powerful member – signaled that its security priorities are elsewhere, including in Asia.

NATO General Secretary Mark Rutte, who was chairman of Thursday’s meeting, said that regardless of the agreement that is made between Russia and Ukraine, it is crucial that “The Peace Agreement endures, that Putin knows that this is the end, that he can never try to try to catch A bit Ukraine. “

Swedish Defense Minister Pål Jonson talked about Europe’s investment in Ukraine and said that European countries provided about 60% of military support to Kiev last year and must be involved, especially given that Europe takes more responsibility for Ukraine’s security in the longer term.

“It is very natural that we are involved in the discussions,” Jonson said.

His Estonian counterpart, Hanno Pevkur, emphasized that the European Union has driven the sanctions against Russia, has invested heavily in Ukraine’s defense and will be urged to pay the bill to rebuild the war -brought country.

“We have to be there. So that’s no question about it. Otherwise, this peace will not be long lasting, Pevkur warned.

Geir Moulson in Berlin contributed to this report.