President Vladimir Putin said Thursday that Russia’s mission is to create a “new world” and blamed Western hegemony for Moscow’s offensive in Ukraine.

“We are essentially tasked with building a new world,” Putin said. He said that the West’s goal is to create global “hegemony”.

He said, “The West always needs an enemy.”

As Moscow becomes more isolated in the West and faces unprecedented sanctions over its Ukraine campaign, Putin accused the West of trying to create a “new Iron Curtain” with Russia.

“Europe is distancing itself from us and creating a new iron curtain,” said Putin, who served in the Soviet KGB.

“We are not going to close the door. It is Europe that is closing the door,” he said.