Scholz said goodbye and promised that Germany would not accept the war in Ukraine
Acting German Chancellor Olaf Scholz, in his last public speech in office, said that Germany will not accept the war in Ukraine and will make every effort to restore and preserve peace in Europe, DW reports .
Scholz gave a speech at a commemorative ceremony marking the 80th anniversary of the end of the war in Europe and the liberation of the concentration camps at Hamburg's Neuengamme Memorial.
"One of the most important lessons from the war unleashed by the Germans, from the Nazi regime of terror, from the murder of millions of innocent women, children and men, is our deep conviction that we Europeans must once and for all leave wars between our peoples in the past," Scholz said.
However, he stressed, Russian dictator Vladimir Putin "has once again brought war to Europe."
"We must not and will not tolerate this," Scholz said.
He emphasized that Europe is the embodiment of freedom, democracy and law, and is a "counterweight to the bloody horrors of war."
According to him, Germany, due to its history, has a special responsibility for preserving peace in Europe.
"We have a duty to remember the abysmal horrors of imperialism, lawlessness, and racial hatred and to prevent their recurrence," the Chancellor said.
A coalition agreement between the Social Democratic Party of Germany (SPD) and the conservative bloc of the Christian Democratic and Christian Social Unions (CDU/CSU) is expected to be officially signed on May 5.
The next day, May 6, the Bundestag is expected to elect Christian Democratic leader Friedrich Merz as the new Chancellor of Germany. The members of his government will be sworn in on the same day.