Banners displaying the NATO logo are placed at the entrance of new NATO headquarters in Brussels, Belgium. Reuters

President Emmanuel Macron of France has advocated that NATO/European troops should engage in the fighting in Ukraine. This would be a serious error. Russia has warned of serious escalations, if foreign ground troop commence fighting from Ukraine.

The fact is, that never before, has the world been closer to another World War, as of now. The last time the world came close to a nuclear World War was in October 1962, at the time of the Cuba missile crisis. Once again, we are confronted with the possibility of a nuclear conflagration. Meanwhile, the war in Ukraine is approaching inhuman and tragic levels. Millions of people may have fled to Europe and the USA as refugees.

However, 40 million Ukrainians are yet in the country and bearing the brunt of the missiles. Millions of lives have been lost. Homes, buildings, schools, hospitals, shopping malls, are being razed to the ground. Generations of younger people across the world had not seen the destruction a war can wreak, except in World War II movies. Now we see pain, destruction and suffering on our televisions, round the clock.

It would be useful if the Western group of nations focused on ensuring a ceasefire. This is the time for Ukraine to negotiate a settlement. It is not the time to battle endlessly.

Rajendra Aneja

Mumbai, India