Top U.S. and European defense officials spent much of this week privately discussing possible military options in Ukraine that would bolster the Eastern European country’s protections against Russia.

BRUSSELS (AP) — NATO defense chiefs were due to hold a virtual meeting Wednesday, a senior alliance official said, as Western countries pushing for an end to Russia’s war on Ukraine devise possible future security guarantees for Kyiv that could help forge a peace agreement.

U. S. military leaders met with NATO defense chiefs on Wednesday to iron out details of security protections for Ukraine as part of a potential peace deal with Russia.