Amid the continuous push by nations to end the Russia-Ukraine war, the NATO defence chiefs are holding a virtual meeting on Wednesday. Italian Admiral Giuseppe Cavo Dragone, chair of NATO's Military Committee, said that 32 defence chiefs from across the alliance would hold a video conference as a US-led diplomatic push seeks to end the fighting.
US General Alexus Grynkewich, NATO's supreme allied commander Europe, will also be present during the talks.
The United States President Donald Trump met with his Russian counterpart, Vladimir Putin, last week, and met with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and other prominent European leaders at the White House on Monday. Both meetings were deadlocked with no conclusion or peace agreement having been formed yet.
Trump is trying to steer Putin and Zelenskyy toward a settlement more than three years after Russia invaded its neighbour, but there are major obstacles, including Ukraine's demands for Western-backed military assurances to ensure Russia won't mount another invasion in the forthcoming years.
“We need strong security guarantees to ensure a truly secure and lasting peace,” Zelenskyy said in a Telegram post on Wednesday after Russian missile and drone strikes hit six regions of Ukraine overnight.
Kyiv's European allies are looking to set up a force that could backstop any peace agreement, and a coalition of 30 countries, including European nations, Japan, and Australia, has signed up to support the initiative.
Military chiefs are figuring out how that security force might work. The role that the US might play is unclear. Trump on Tuesday ruled out sending US troops to help defend Ukraine against Russia.
Russia has repeatedly said that it would not accept NATO troops in Ukraine.
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