WASHINGTON, (Reuters) – The United States and France discussed ways to offer security guarantees for Ukraine in the aftermath of war with Russia. This was according to a French presidential official.

The White House stated earlier that Joe Biden met with his allies, including Emmanuel Macron the French President and Boris Johnson the British Prime Minister on Tuesday to discuss the most recent developments in Ukraine.

According to the White House, the purpose of the conference call was to “discuss our support for Ukraine as well as our efforts in holding Russia responsible under our close coordination.”

An adviser to the French president said that allies were discussing how to give security guarantees for Ukraine in case it doesn’t join NATO or its automatic defense mechanism, article 5.

The French official stated that “our country is prepared to provide security assurances.” It would include military supplies to help Ukraine deal with an attack, or possibly guarantees that we would get involved in the event that Ukraine was attacked.

The French official stated that these guarantees are more similar to the current defense clause of the European Union among its member countries, and not a defense mechanism like NATO’s Article 5, which triggers military support in the event of an attack on a member.

According to the French official, allies had also talked about the necessity to convince non EU, non G7 countries to consider the Ukraine war a matter that affects world peace rather than Europe and the West.

Russia has seized an Eastern Ukrainian town as part of its new all-out attack, the Battle of the Donbas. This assault was aimed at capturing two provinces.

A senior U.S. official said Tuesday that Russia’s actions in eastern Russia are a “prelude” to bigger, more expected offensive operations.

Biden’s calls were attended by the Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau as well as President Ursula von der Leyen of European Commission, German Chancellor Olaf Scholz as NATO Secretary General Jens Sloltenberg and leaders from Japan, Italy, and Poland.