New Delhi, Mar 4: Amid a Russian military offensive against Ukraine, CPI(M) general secretary Sitaram Yechury has said that the war is essentially between Russia and the US and NATO with Ukraine being its "theatre".

In an article in the forthcoming edition of party mouthpiece People's Democracy, Yechury has called for an immediate ceasefire, and questioned the need for the existence and expansion of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO). India Urges Ukraine, Russia to Announce Ceasefire for Evacuation of Indian Nationals.

"US imperialism, with its desire to strengthen its global hegemony post cold war confrontation, chose not only to retain the NATO but to further strengthen it and use it for military operations across the world, particularly in Europe and Central Asia. Instead of disbanding, US imperialism hastened the eastward expansion of NATO negating an assurance given to Gorbachev post-USSR dismembering," Yechury wrote.

He said that last December, Russia proposed security guarantees between Russia and NATO members suggesting no further NATO expansion, no assault weapons on Russian borders and return to the 1997 NATO-Russia Founding Act, all of which were rejected by the US.

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"Rejecting this, US encouraged an anti-Russia power grouping in Ukraine and engineered a coup in 2014. Subsequently, NATO infrastructure started growing in Ukraine without Ukraine formally joining the NATO.

"(Russian President Vladimir) Putin and Russia saw these hostile developments as threatening Russia's security leading to its current military actions and invasion. Hence, this is a war essentially between Russia and USA/NATO. Ukraine is the theatre where this war is being waged," he said.

Yechury said that an immediate ceasefire and Russian withdrawal is essential to ensure that this war did not gain global dimensions. He said that it is essential that the NATO stops its further eastward expansion.

"NATO must stop deployment of lethal weapons and missile systems on Russia's borders threatening its security. Ukraine must remain a neutral sovereign State not permitting the stationing of NATO missiles and other weapon systems posing security threats to Russia. The existing NATO infrastructure in Ukraine must be dismantled," he said.

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