When further asked which side do you want to win, the Pentagon chief dodged the question and said that US President Donald Trump is committed to peace in the conflict.
US Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth on Wednesday (June 11) called Russia an "aggressor" when Senator Mitch Connell pressed him with questions on the Russia-Ukraine war.
Sen McConnell asked, "Who’s the aggressor, and who’s the victim in the conflict?" Hegseth without any hesitation, said, "Russia is the aggressor."
When further asked which side do you want to win, the Pentagon chief dodged the question and said that US President Donald Trump is committed to peace in the conflict.
"Ultimately, peace serves our national interests, and we think the interests of both parties, even if that outcome will not be preferable to many in this room and many in our country," he said.
However, earlier in February, the US opposed calling Russia the aggressor in the war with Ukraine in a Group of 7 statement being drafted to mark the third anniversary of Russia’s full-scale invasion.
This came after Trump blamed Ukraine for starting the war, while Russia was the one who attacked first on Ukraine.
In April, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said that the country would like to have a "common understanding that Russia is the aggressor".
"(Y)ou shouldn't be saying that Ukraine and Russia started this war, I believe that it's painful for our people to hear," Zelensky added.
The Ukrainian president said that Ukraine is defending against Russia's war and did not start it, comparing Ukraine's relations with Russia and the US as the opposite of one another.
Coming to the senator pressing Hegseth on Wednesday, he further asked, "Which side is President Xi pulling for?"
Hegseth responded that there’s no doubt that China would prefer that Vladimir Putin have a good outcome.
"Well, as was stated by both of you, we obviously understand, unfortunately, under this administration and the policy, excuse me, under the previous administration and the policies they pursued, it has driven Russia and China closer together," Hegseth said.
"So there’s no doubt that China would prefer that Vladimir Putin have a good outcome, but it would also prefer a prolonged conflict that would keep us and other countries tied down and incapable of paying attention to the malign influence of China elsewhere," he added.