NATO countries use Ukraine crisis to pursue militaristic projects: report

WASHINGTON - The North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) countries are using the Ukraine crisis to pursue longer-term militaristic projects, according to a US media outlet report.

"After the end of the United States' 20-year occupation of Afghanistan, and after two decades of the 'war on terror', this is precisely the time to critically evaluate the impacts of US militarism and push for demilitarization," said an article published on the website of Yes! Magazine on Monday.

"Instead, Washington is doing the opposite, with (US President Joe) Biden reportedly considering a record 770-billion dollar military budget for 2023," said the article authored by Khury Petersen-Smith, the Michael Ratner Middle East Fellow at the Institute for Policy Studies.

The article called on people in the West to demand their governments open doors to Ukrainians who have left their country, and "to all refugees, actually, many of whom are displaced by US violence and that of its allies."

"What we cannot do is allow Washington and the leaders of NATO countries to use the current nightmare unfolding in Ukraine to justify more militarization and plans for future wars," said the article.

"Unfortunately, the path they are pursuing is precisely that," it said.

The author believed that the economic sanctions the United States and its allies are currently leveling against Russia must be rejected, saying: "Sanctions, which officials often hold up as an alternative to war, are better understood as an act of war."

On Monday, Russian and Ukrainian negotiators ended their third round of peace talks in Belarus, with a negotiator saying the fourth round will take place in "the very near future".

Meanwhile, the Russian armed forces announced a ceasefire and the opening of humanitarian corridors in four Ukrainian cities starting 10 am Moscow time (0700 GMT) on Monday, according to the Russian Defense Ministry.

It later declared a "silence regime" and the opening of humanitarian corridors for the safe evacuation of civilians in Ukraine starting 10 am Moscow time (0700 GMT) on Tuesday.