Europe's anti-Russia crusade chief impediment to peace in Ukraine: Russian envoy Alipov

New Delhi, Nov 10 (PTI) Russian envoy to India Denis Alipov on Monday charged that Europe's "anti-Russia crusade" is now the "chief impediment" to achieving peace in Ukraine.

He claimed that its conflict with Ukraine can end tomorrow, if Europeans and the NATO can have a dialogue with Moscow.

The ambassador made the comments in a discussion here on the book 'The Thousand Years War: Russia and the West', authored by Achala Moulik.

In his opening remarks, Alipov described the book as particularly timely and said that her work offers balance and depth.

"As it will, this time around in the Ukraine conflict aptly described by Mrs Moulik as a 'dangerous proxy war', with Ukraine used as a 'tragic pawn' by the Western powers against Russia," Alipov said.

The book details how over the centuries, the West has repeatedly sought to "weaken Russia" which it saw as its "hereditary adversary" most recently by "driving the wedge between Russians and the Ukrainians," he said.

"The usual suspects directly responsible for provoking and sustaining the Ukraine conflict are the same western powers which Mrs Moulik aptly describes, had previously been the real beneficiaries of the Cold War.. Britain and France and Germany," the envoy alleged.

The West, despite the envoy's claims, has blamed Russia for the conflict that began in 2022.

Alipov said the book offers many other instances of European "treachery" and "bloody-mindedness regarding Russia." He alleged that the book highlights the fact that "Europe's anti-Russia crusade is now the chief impediment to peace in Ukraine." Later, during the interaction with the audience, Alipov was asked if there was any end to the conflict in sight, and why it was taking so long.

"Do you think we are fighting with Ukrainians? This will be a 100 per cent mistake. We are fighting with the whole of NATO alliance," he said.

The envoy claimed that the US military, the British military, were "very much on the ground, and if you ask them, they will deny." But those "long-range missiles, they cannot be operated by Ukrainians, they are operated by NATO military," he claimed.

Alipov added, "The whole of Europe is involved with this conflict, the whole of NATO is involved with this conflict." He suggested to the Europeans to "sit down and talk about an architecture of security, otherwise we (Russia) feel insecure. We have been feeling insecure for thousands of years." He said that the West never listens and that it "never wanted" to speak with Russia. This idea of "stonewalling against us" but one "cannot change geography," he said.

The ambassador asserted that "currently, we can end this conflict tomorrow, if Europeans and NATO can talk, but they do not want to.".

They continue to "supply Ukrainians with armaments," disrupting the dialogue which was started between Russia and the US, he claimed.

Alipov also took a dig at Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy.

He suggested that "a Jew Zelenskyy" has been "hijacked by Nazis" in Ukraine.

During the interaction, Alipov said this book shows a "pattern of belligerence" of the West towards Russia.

"A pattern of aggression of the West towards Russia, not otherwise. We have always responded...our reaction to belligerence," he added.

The envoy said the disintegration of the Soviet Union was a "disaster for the Soviet Union." He also rejected any suggestion that the Soviet Union could be "reinstated or relaunched." The book traces the "numerous invasions of Russia by Western powers," from the 9th century to the Second World War, their causes and their effects, according to the book's jacket. PTI KND VN VN