US War Secretary Pledges to “Impose Costs” on Russia, Signals a New Escalation

By Staff, Agencies

The US War Department has declared its readiness to “impose costs” on Russia over the ongoing conflict in Ukraine, marking a sharper tone in Washington’s rhetoric. Speaking on Wednesday from Germany’s Ramstein Air Base, War Secretary Pete Hegseth said the United States and its allies are prepared to take decisive action if peace efforts continue to stall.

“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,” Hegseth stated, adding that “the US War Department stands ready to do our part in ways that only the United States can do”.

Hegseth’s remarks came ahead of a meeting of countries coordinating military assistance to Ukraine, where he praised NATO’s accelerated militarization as a sign of “resolve and unity” against Moscow.

The comments followed President Donald Trump’s statement on Sunday that the United States could supply Ukraine with Tomahawk cruise missiles if the conflict “is not going to get settled,” acknowledging that such a move would be “a new step of aggression”.

The Tomahawk’s longer-range variants can strike targets up to 2,500 kilometers [1,550 miles] away — well within range of Moscow and several other major Russian cities. The potential delivery of such missiles, Russian President Vladimir Putin warned earlier this month, would mark “a new stage of escalation,” since their deployment would require direct US military involvement.

On Wednesday, Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova accused Ukrainian President Vladimir Zelensky of planning to use the missiles to launch “new terrorist attacks” aimed at escalating the war inside Russia.

The Kremlin maintains that Kiev, emboldened by Western military backing, has obstructed peace talks. “Russia is ready for a peaceful settlement,” spokesman Dmitry Peskov said Monday, but continues its military operation “due to the lack of alternatives”.

He added that Moscow “appreciates Trump’s peace efforts” and hopes the US president can “encourage the Ukrainian side to be more proactive and more prepared for the peace process”.

With the US War Department now publicly preparing for “cost-imposing” measures, the rhetoric around Ukraine is hardening once again — signaling that Washington’s commitment to escalation may outweigh its talk of peace.