Hegseth Warns US Will ‘Impose Costs’ If Russia Doesn’t End Ukraine War

Secretary of War Pete Hegseth warned Moscow on Oct. 15 that the United States and its NATO allies will “impose costs on Russia for its continued aggression” if it does not end the war in Ukraine.

While speaking at a meeting of the Ukraine Defense Contact Group at NATO headquarters on Oct. 15, Hegseth said European investments in Ukraine’s defense had “increased significantly.”

“Now, of course, the United States will do [its] part, but Europeans must continue to take primary responsibility for the conventional defense of the continent,” he said.

Hegseth noted that European leaders were sending a “clear message” to Moscow.

“Now is the time to end this tragic war, stop the needless bloodshed, and come to the peace table,” he said.

“If this war does not end, if there is no path to peace in the short term, then the United States, along with our allies, will take the steps necessary to impose costs on Russia for its continued aggression.”

While Hegseth did not elaborate, the remarks come after the Trump administration said it might approve a request by Ukraine for long-range Tomahawk missiles.

President Donald Trump told reporters on Oct. 12 that he was considering this step, which would involve selling the missiles to NATO before providing them to Ukraine.

“They’d like to have Tomahawks,“ Trump said while aboard Air Force One en route to Israel. “We talked about that. And so we’ll see.”

Trump said he may speak to Russian President Vladimir Putin before reaching a decision.

“I might say, ‘Look, if this war is not going to get settled, I’m going to send them Tomahawks,'” he said. “The Tomahawk is an incredible weapon, very offensive weapon. And honestly, Russia does not need that.”

The range of a Tomahawk missile is roughly 1,000 miles, according to manufacturer Raytheon. Arming Ukraine with U.S.-made Tomahawks would mean that Kyiv could hit targets as deep into Russia as Moscow.

On Oct. 15, Hegseth warned Russia that if NATO and the United States have to “impose costs” to bring the war to a close, the War Department (formally known as the Defense Department) “stands ready to do [its] part in ways that only the United States can do.”

“We remain clear-eyed about the fact that the most effective deterrents to Russian aggression are, number one, a lethal, capable, and European-led NATO, and number two, a combat-credible Ukrainian military able to defend itself and thereby continue to deter Russian aggression along NATO’s border,” he said.

Earlier in the day, Hegseth told reporters at NATO headquarters that “firepower” is coming for Ukraine.

“You get peace when you are strong, not when you use strong words or wag your finger,” he said. “You get it when you have strong and real capabilities that adversaries respect. And I believe that’s what NATO is doing.”

Aldgra Fredly contributed to this report.