Kochi, March 3 : Calling for a ceasefire in Ukraine, Comm st Party of India [CPI(M)] General Secretary Sitaram Yechury on Thursday alleged that America was trying to expand NATO. Addressing a press conference here, Yechury called for peace and said the party wants Russia to declare a ceasefire. Clarifying his party’s stand on the ongoing Russian invasion in Ukraine, he opined that Ukraine should not become a member of the NATO and continue as a neutral country. He was addressing the presser in connection with the ongoing State Conference of Kerala CPI (M). Urging the on Government to take more effective steps to bring back Indians from war-hit Ukraine, Yechury criticised the Centre for asking students to walk out of war-hit Kharkiv to other nearby towns and borders in the freezing temperatures. People who struggle for food and water were asked to travel by their own when there were constant shelling and gunfire, he added. DS GK