US urges France to take lead on responsibility for European defense

WASHINGTON, April 17 (Reuters) - U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth urged France to increase its defense spending and, alongside other NATO allies, take primary responsibility for Europe's conventional defense, the U.S. Defense Department said in a statement on Thursday.

The statement from chief Pentagon spokesperson Sean Parnell followed a meeting between Hegseth and French counterpart Sebastien Lecornu in Washington.

Parnell said the two also discussed efforts toward a "durable peace" in Ukraine, without giving further details.