Fox News Presses Defense Secretary as Putin Plans ‘Victory Lap’ Over Trump’s Ukraine Stance

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Alexis N. Crockett
February 24, 2025
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8 minutes read

Mikhail Klimentyev | TASS | Getty Images

Fox News host Shannon Bream confronted U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth on Sunday over reports that Russian President Vladimir Putin is preparing to declare victory, with the Kremlin suggesting that President Donald Trump has effectively “abandoned Ukraine.”

During an interview on Fox News Sunday, Bream pointedly asked Hegseth about Russia’s propaganda efforts and whether the U.S. had a strategy to counter Moscow’s messaging. “Russia apparently is planning to declare victory tomorrow,” Bream stated.

She continued, “There are propagandists who say they’re going to share messages that the West essentially abandoned Ukraine. I mean, how does the U.S. and will it counter that messaging if that’s a victory lap Russia tries to take?”

Hegseth dismissed Russia’s anticipated declaration, arguing that Trump remains committed to securing peace rather than engaging in rhetoric over Ukraine’s ongoing crisis.

“Well, Vladimir Putin can attempt to take all the victory laps he wants,” Hegseth said. “The reality is the president is focused on one thing and one thing only, and that’s stopping the killing and the destruction across Ukraine and ensuring an enduring peace.”

He acknowledged that peace negotiations would not be without challenges but argued that placing blame was counterproductive. “There’s gonna be bumps in the road in these conversations when you’re seeking a historic peace,” Hegseth explained. “So standing here and saying you’re good, you’re bad, you’re a dictator, you’re not a dictator, you invaded, you didn’t, it’s not useful, it’s not productive.”

The Kremlin’s expected declaration of victory comes amid concerns that Trump’s shifting stance on Ukraine could embolden Putin’s ambitions. Russian state media has increasingly pushed narratives that suggest Western nations are retreating from their commitments to Kyiv.

While Hegseth downplayed the significance of such claims, critics argue that Trump’s reluctance to commit additional military aid to Ukraine has already shifted the geopolitical landscape in Russia’s favor. Bream’s questioning reflected growing concerns among both U.S. allies and domestic critics that Putin is exploiting Trump’s approach to Ukraine to further his own strategic goals.

With Moscow set to frame its advances as proof of Western weakness, the U.S. faces mounting pressure to clarify its stance on Ukraine’s future—and whether it will continue to support Kyiv in its ongoing fight against Russian aggression.