Steinmeier accused Russia of "historical lies" regarding the war against Ukraine
German President Frank-Walter Steinmeier (Photo: FILIP SINGER/EPA)

German Federal President Frank-Walter Steinmeier accused Russia of distorting history to justify aggression against Ukraine and promised that Germany would fight for peace. He made this statement during a speech in the Bundestag on the occasion of the 80th anniversary of the victory over Nazism, Tagesspiegel reports .

In his speech, Steinmeier said that the Kremlin is spreading "historical lies" when it calls the war against Ukraine "a continuation of the fight against fascism."

"Putin's war of aggression, his campaign against a free, democratic country, has nothing to do with the fight against Nazi tyranny in World War II," he said.

According to him, by distorting history, Russian dictator Vladimir Putin is justifying "imperial madness, grave injustice and the most serious crimes."

"The liberators of Auschwitz have become the new aggressors," the German president said.

Steinmeier stressed that, together with its European partners, Germany must do everything possible to stop the "land grab" by dictator Putin.

"We must become militarily stronger not to wage war, but to prevent war," he said.

Steinmeier also sharply criticized US President Donald Trump's policy towards Europe.

"The fact that the United States, which significantly shaped this [post-war] order, is now turning its back on it is a shock of a completely new dimension," Steinmeier said.

In his opinion, epochal changes have occurred in the world.

"This is nothing more than a double epochal rupture – Russia's aggressive war, America's violation of values – it marks the end of the long 20th century," the German president said.

  • In November 2023, Steinmeier stated that Putin was counting on the world to "forget" about Ukraine, but the world should not provide him with such a favor.
  • In March 2024, the German president announced that he would not congratulate the Russian dictator on his "victory" in the "presidential election."
  • In March 2025, Steinmeier thanked Prime Minister Scholz for his swift and decisive response to the Russian invasion of Ukraine.