Pentagon rules out Ukraine joining NATO –Kiev’s membership in the U.S.-led bloc is not a “realistic outcome” of a peace deal, according to U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth | 12 Feb 2024 | A peace deal between Russia and Ukraine is unlikely to include NATO membership for Kiev, U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth told reporters on Wednesday, adding that American troops will also not be involved in maintaining the settlement.