The Defense secretary's absence marks the first time in the Ukraine Defense Contact Group’s history that a Pentagon chief misses the monthly meeting.

In a first for the US, the Pentagon chief will not attend a meeting of the group orchestrating military support to Ukraine, a Washington official told Euronews.

In a historic first, Washington’s Pentagon chief will skip a crucial meeting of over 50 military leaders that could shape the course of the Ukraine war.Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth won’t be attending Wednesday’s gathering of the Ukraine Defense Contact Group,