The President of Germany sharply criticized the Kremlin’s latest narratives regarding the history of World War II, emphasizing that Russia’s official rhetoric distorts the past and spreads “historical lies
” In his speech before the Bundestag commemorating the 80th anniversary of the victory over Nazism, Frank-Walter Steinmeier strongly condemned Kremlin policies, describing them as attempts to rewrite history and justify current aggression against Ukraine. During his traditional speech on the occasion of celebrating the victory over Nazism, Germany’s leader highlighted that the cynical rhetoric currently promoted by the Kremlin bears no relation to historical truth. According to Steinmeier, Russia is trying to distort logic and historical events, claiming that its war in Ukraine is a continuation of the fight against fascist tyranny, which was waged by the countries of the Anti-Hitler coalition during World War II. “Putin’s aggressive war, his attack on a country that lives by principles of democracy and freedom, has nothing to do with the struggle that Europe carried out against the Nazi regime during World War II,” emphasized the German president. He called for an objective and honest approach to historical events and stressed that Russia’s current aggression is more a manifestation of a new war for imperial ambitions rather than a logical continuation of the fight against Nazism. Frank-Walter Steinmeier also urged caution regarding international political forces that, in their domestic and foreign policies, deny responsibility for the past. While he did not explicitly name former U.S. President Donald Trump, he indirectly hinted that the United States, as a country that shaped the course of world history in the second half of the 20th century, is currently showing signs of outright refusal to uphold key values of the international community. “States that recently actively contributed to shaping the global order and played a decisive role in this process are now stepping away from it, and this step is an upheaval of proportions that previously seemed unthinkable,” Steinmeier remarked. This statement became part of a broader discussion in the European political space about the modern confrontation with Russia and the preservation of the historical memory of World War II. A few days earlier, a group of foreign ministers from the Baltics, Poland, the Czech Republic, Moldova, and Ukraine published a joint column emphasizing that the scenarios for ending the Russia-Ukraine war should not lead to compromises with military aggression but should still be based on principles of international security and historical truth. They warned that ignoring the real causes and consequences of this war could have catastrophic repercussions for Europe and the world. Meanwhile, British Prime Minister Kirst Starmer confirmed that the events currently unfolding in Ukraine are not only shifting the political context but also casting doubt on the understanding of historical events. According to him, Russia’s invasion is not merely an episode in modern history but a sign that the lessons of World War II have not been sufficiently learned and remain relevant. Starmer warned the global community that ignoring these lessons could lead to serious consequences for international security, and collective memory should serve as a safeguard against new forms of imperialism and aggression.