Protesters call for end to standoff

Matt Mercelis, of Sint-Niklaas, northern Belgium, voiced his objection to Belgian and European Union politicians, saying they "are promoting the war" by sending more weapons.

NATO is a "warmongering organization", Mercelis said.

Apart from the suffering of people in the conflict and the economic hardship caused, the conflict could escalate into a nuclear war that could spell the end of mankind, he said.

A peace demonstration was also staged in Berlin on Saturday condemning Germany's supplying weapons to Ukraine and calling for peace talks to end the conflict. Police said there were 13,000 protesters, but organizers put the number at 50,000.

Mercelis said he had learned about the 12-point measures China had laid out in a position paper on settling the Ukraine conflict politically, issued on Friday. "I really believe it can change something."

However, some Western politicians are likely to cast doubt in their "classic anti-China propaganda", he said. "They don't want to end the war."