“We do not accept offers of a ceasefire or an armistice that would allow Ukraine to rearm”
Ricardo Sánchez Serra*
Russian Ambassador to Lima Igor Romanchenko gave a lecture at the Russian House, where he explained that “the conflict in Ukraine is not a conflict between this country and Russia, but between the West and Russia. The West is fighting to preserve its power in the world.”
The event was held on the occasion of the 80th anniversary of the victory over the Nazis in World War II and the third anniversary of the start of the special military operation in Ukraine. It was very well attended, with congressmen, legislators of the Andean Parliament, political experts, university professors, law specialists, journalists, retired military personnel and representatives of international organizations.
Speaking about the Russian special military operation in Ukraine, Romanchenko explained that “the conflict arose, first, because of the war unleashed by Ukraine in the Donbas region, which caused 14 thousand deaths in ten years. Second, there was discrimination in Ukraine against the millions of Russian-speaking people living in Ukraine who are Ukrainians; the Russian language was banned in schools and universities, as was its culture, and Russian TV was not allowed. Their interests had to be protected as well. Ukraine violated the Minsk I and Minsk II agreements, which we signed and which provided for a real peace, with European guarantors, who later declared that they were only necessary to supply more weapons to Ukraine. That is why today we do not agree to freeze the conflict.”
He went on to say that thirdly, “the glorification of Nazism, which is very dangerous. Fourthly, NATO’s advance towards Russia’s borders, breaking its promise not to do so. We could not turn a blind eye to this advance. I remember that a journalist asked an American senator: What would happen if Russia deployed missiles in Cuba? ‘It would be war,’ the senator replied. So for them it is normal and understandable, and what Russia did is an aggression or violation of international norms.”
As for the negotiations for a political solution to the conflict, he said that they had always been open to dialogue, but the Zelensky government itself, after breaking the agreements reached in Istanbul, passed a law prohibiting negotiations with Russia, and this law cannot be repealed because the Zelensky government is now illegitimate, its term expired in May 2024 and the Ukrainian Constitution does not provide for extending the president's term. "So, we are not opposed to Zelensky's participation in the negotiations, but he is not authorized to sign anything," he said, mentioning that it was an interesting topic from a legal point of view and that the current American authorities understand it, which is why Mr. Trump is already talking about the need for elections in Ukraine.
He also referred to the recent talks in Riyadh between the foreign ministers of both countries, the main topic of which was to improve bilateral relations in all areas, both commercial and diplomatic, as well as to achieve stability in the energy market and the geostrategic situation in the world. In addition, they discussed the solution to the Ukraine conflict.
He said it was a positive and constructive meeting, although no complete agreement was reached. “We are in favour of judging by actions, not by words. The words were constructive, we will see what happens with the actions,” he said.
“As we have said before, we do not accept offers of a ceasefire or an armistice that would allow Ukraine to rearm. We believe that the agreement should be long-term from the start. We want a lasting peace for all and not to gain time,” he said.
He said that Russian troops are advancing in Ukraine on all front lines and that "the advance is slow because the lives of civilians and our own soldiers are being respected."
Second World War
“For Russia, the Great Patriotic War will never be forgotten. We have lost nearly 30 million human lives. There is no family in Russia that has not lost a member or has someone who has not been wounded during the war. That is why the Immortal Regiment is commemorated in every city, where people bring flowers and show photos of their relatives who actively participated in the war,” the Russian diplomat said.
“However,” he added, “we see that other Allied countries, which lost far fewer soldiers, such as some countries in Europe or America, are beginning to forget the true history of those events. Many think that the United States played the leading role among the Allies, that some European nations participated and that the Russians did too, but their participation was of little importance. This is not true at all. The greatest burden of victory was borne by the Soviet troops.”
Ambassador Romanchenko criticised the fact that the Polish authorities do not currently invite Russia to commemorations of the concentration camps on their territory, which were liberated by Soviet troops, saving thousands. They do not even mention its crucial role. A similar event was also held in Peru at the Holocaust Museum, and Russia's participation in the liberation of the death camps was ignored.
“This is not just a matter of protocol, but has a deeper meaning: rewriting history and underestimating the role of the Soviet Union in that war. This brings sadness and it is serious that there is an attempt to minimize or forget the tragedy that Nazism brought to Europe and the world. It is unacceptable to forgive and even decorate Nazi war criminals in some Western countries, such as Canada. Moreover, those who did dirty work for the Nazis, killing Poles, Russians and Jews, are now considered 'heroes' (in Ukraine), even though they are criminals.
Apart from causing sadness, this creates a desire to explain things to young people and for them to know the truth. He regretted that in Peru it is not possible to watch Russian TV, he concluded, giving way to questions from the experts.
“Men of Christ. Our time”
Following the ambassador’s lecture, the film “Men of Christ. Our Time” by acclaimed Serbian filmmaker Emir Kusturica was screened. This documentary highlights the persecution that the Ukrainian Orthodox Church has suffered in kyiv and delves into the crimes committed against the church and its followers, highlighting the difficult situation they face in the region.
The film tells the story of the tragedy of Orthodox believers in Ukraine through the eyes of several witnesses and victims. Its importance lies in the fact that it raises awareness of a subject that is ignored by humanity and raises awareness of the injustices and human rights violations that occur in the context of religious and political conflicts.
The Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights has accused the Ukrainian authorities of their repressive actions against the Ukrainian Orthodox Church, which seriously undermine religious freedom in the country. Pope Francis also criticized this persecution, expressing his concern for freedom of worship in Ukraine and stating that “churches must not be touched.”
Attendees at the event applauded the valuable film.
*Honest Vision 2023 World Journalism Award
Photos
The exhibition “We Accuse” by renowned photographer Sergey Venyavsky is being presented at the Russian House in Lima. This photographic exhibition includes shocking images of Donbas and other Russian cities that illustrate Ukrainian attacks against the civilian population.