1
00:00:00,616 --> 00:00:03,080
Fellow citizens,

2
00:00:03,080 --> 00:00:08,840
the Second World War came to an
end in Europe 77 years ago today.

3
00:00:08,840 --> 00:00:14,308
When the weapons fell silent on
8 May 1945, there was a deathly calm

4
00:00:14,621 --> 00:00:17,500
– shrouding the graves of
more than 60 million women,

5
00:00:17,500 --> 00:00:18,917
men and children.

6
00:00:19,613 --> 00:00:23,425
Millions of people
fell on the battlefields.

7
00:00:23,425 --> 00:00:26,305
Millions were murdered in
their towns and villages,

8
00:00:26,305 --> 00:00:30,073
in concentration camps
and extermination camps.

9
00:00:30,337 --> 00:00:34,681
Germans were the ones who perpetrated
this crime against humanity.

10
00:00:35,882 --> 00:00:37,823
It is therefore all
the more painful

11
00:00:38,134 --> 00:00:41,854
to see how today, at the heart of Europe,
77 years after the end of the Second World War,

12
00:00:42,167 --> 00:00:47,038
brutal violence is once
again breaking the law.

13
00:00:47,038 --> 00:00:48,979
How Russia’s
army is slaughtering

14
00:00:48,979 --> 00:00:51,858
men, women and
children in Ukraine,

15
00:00:52,170 --> 00:00:56,779
laying waste to towns and cities, even
attacking those attempting to flee.

16
00:00:57,803 --> 00:01:02,619
For me, this 8 May
is like no other.

17
00:01:03,619 --> 00:01:06,132
That is why I am
addressing you today.

18
00:01:07,789 --> 00:01:11,528
We cannot commemorate the end of
the Second World War in Europe

19
00:01:11,528 --> 00:01:14,409
without facing the
fact that once again

20
00:01:14,409 --> 00:01:17,553
Europe is beset by war.

21
00:01:17,553 --> 00:01:20,169
Russia has
unleashed this war.

22
00:01:21,869 --> 00:01:26,350
Once, Russians and Ukrainians fought
together, making ultimate sacrifices

23
00:01:26,350 --> 00:01:30,646
to bring down Germany’s murderous
National Socialist regime.

24
00:01:31,546 --> 00:01:34,135
During that period,
Germany committed crimes

25
00:01:34,135 --> 00:01:38,166
against both nations,
Russia and Ukraine.

26
00:01:38,166 --> 00:01:42,510
We have been striving for decades with
both to bring about reconciliation.

27
00:01:43,806 --> 00:01:47,546
Now, however, Russia’s President
Putin wants to overthrow Ukraine

28
00:01:47,546 --> 00:01:50,162
and destroy its
culture and its identity.

29
00:01:51,819 --> 00:01:55,055
President Putin even
regards his barbaric war

30
00:01:55,055 --> 00:01:58,823
of aggression as being on a par with
the fight against National Socialism.

31
00:01:59,711 --> 00:02:02,992
That is a falsification of history
and a disgraceful distortion.

32
00:02:03,640 --> 00:02:06,452
We have an obligation
to state this clearly.

33
00:02:07,645 --> 00:02:09,596
But that is not enough.

34
00:02:10,556 --> 00:02:13,024
It was the military
victory of the Allies

35
00:02:13,336 --> 00:02:16,500
which put an end

36
00:02:16,765 --> 00:02:18,493
to the National Socialist
dictatorship in Germany.

37
00:02:19,142 --> 00:02:22,690
That is something that we Germans
are grateful for to this very day.

38
00:02:23,355 --> 00:02:27,610
That is why the then Federal
President Richard von Weizsäcker,

39
00:02:27,610 --> 00:02:33,369
speaking in 1985, was able to refer
to 8 May as a “day of liberation”.

40
00:02:34,600 --> 00:02:37,373
The disastrous
history of our country

41
00:02:37,373 --> 00:02:42,557
between 1933 and 1945 has
taught us one key lesson.

42
00:02:42,557 --> 00:02:45,749
It is this:
“Never again!”

43
00:02:46,710 --> 00:02:50,762
Never again should there be war.
Never again should there be genocide.

44
00:02:50,762 --> 00:02:53,329
Never again should
there be tyranny.

45
00:02:54,531 --> 00:02:58,391
And yet it has happened
again – war in Europe.

46
00:02:58,915 --> 00:03:03,231
Ukrainian President Zelensky
pointed that out today.

47
00:03:03,879 --> 00:03:06,660
In the current situation
that can only mean one thing:

48
00:03:06,660 --> 00:03:11,843
that we defend justice and freedom – side
by side with those who are under attack.

49
00:03:12,155 --> 00:03:15,299
We support Ukraine in the
fight against its aggressor.

50
00:03:16,571 --> 00:03:20,312
To not do so would be to capitulate
in the face of pure violence

51
00:03:20,312 --> 00:03:23,191
– and to strengthen
the aggressor’s position.

52
00:03:23,575 --> 00:03:27,243
We are helping to find a
way to end the violence.

53
00:03:27,243 --> 00:03:30,387
That is why in the past
few days and weeks

54
00:03:30,699 --> 00:03:33,267
we have taken far-reaching
and difficult decisions

55
00:03:33,267 --> 00:03:37,036
– quickly and resolutely,
judiciously and carefully.

56
00:03:38,013 --> 00:03:41,331
We have imposed unprecedented
sanctions on the Russian economy

57
00:03:41,643 --> 00:03:43,059
and the Russian
leadership in order

58
00:03:43,371 --> 00:03:46,827
to divert Putin
from the path of war.

59
00:03:46,827 --> 00:03:48,819
We have welcomed

60
00:03:48,819 --> 00:03:52,011
hundreds of thousands of
Ukrainians with open arms.

61
00:03:52,899 --> 00:03:55,296
Hundreds of thousands who
have found refuge with us

62
00:03:55,296 --> 00:03:57,336
after fleeing from the
violence in their homeland.

63
00:03:57,336 --> 00:03:59,853
Aid organisations are
providing initial support,

64
00:03:59,853 --> 00:04:02,734
schools and nurseries are
setting up Welcome Classes,

65
00:04:02,734 --> 00:04:06,500
citizens are taking
refugees into their homes.

66
00:04:07,430 --> 00:04:09,665
I would like to convey to
you my heartfelt thanks

67
00:04:09,665 --> 00:04:13,384
for this huge demonstration of
support throughout our country.

68
00:04:14,608 --> 00:04:19,045
And – for the first time in the
history of the Federal Republic

69
00:04:19,045 --> 00:04:21,898
– we have sent
arms to a war zone -

70
00:04:22,594 --> 00:04:23,937
in large quantities,

71
00:04:23,937 --> 00:04:26,909
and also, after careful
consideration, heavy weapons.

72
00:04:26,909 --> 00:04:28,374
We will continue
to do so.

73
00:04:29,911 --> 00:04:31,083
I can well imagine

74
00:04:31,083 --> 00:04:33,964
how unsettled many of you
are by these decisions.

75
00:04:34,752 --> 00:04:38,104
After all, this is literally
about war and peace.

76
00:04:38,104 --> 00:04:40,693
About our historical
responsibility.

77
00:04:40,693 --> 00:04:44,413
About demonstrating the greatest possible
solidarity with Ukraine, in the grip of aggression.

78
00:04:44,724 --> 00:04:48,181
About the security of our
country and our Alliance.

79
00:04:49,140 --> 00:04:52,184
Reconciling
all these goals

80
00:04:52,184 --> 00:04:55,376
– that is the task we face
on a day-to-day basis.

81
00:04:55,640 --> 00:04:59,409
It is good and legitimate
that we as a nation engage

82
00:04:59,409 --> 00:05:03,440
in intensive discussion on issues
with such vast implications.

83
00:05:03,440 --> 00:05:05,432
Democracy involves
grappling with these kinds.

84
00:05:05,432 --> 00:05:10,040
of controversial topics with
respect and mutual consideration

85
00:05:11,313 --> 00:05:12,718
The Federal President
rightly underscored

86
00:05:12,718 --> 00:05:15,630
this in his address
this morning.

87
00:05:16,638 --> 00:05:21,026
Many of the comments I am hearing
at the moment express grave concern.

88
00:05:21,026 --> 00:05:24,481
The fear among other things
that the war could spread,

89
00:05:24,481 --> 00:05:27,673
that peace here in our country
could also be under threat.

90
00:05:28,297 --> 00:05:31,269
It would be wrong simply to
dismiss these sentiments.

91
00:05:31,269 --> 00:05:34,413
Such concerns
need to be voiced.

92
00:05:34,726 --> 00:05:39,597
Yet at the same time we cannot allow
ourselves to be paralysed by fear.

93
00:05:40,797 --> 00:05:42,737
I have described to
you what we are doing

94
00:05:42,737 --> 00:05:46,742
to defend justice and freedom in
Ukraine and throughout Europe.

95
00:05:46,742 --> 00:05:47,894
It is a considerable
amount.

96
00:05:48,542 --> 00:05:50,866
Nonetheless, we are not
simply doing all the things

97
00:05:51,130 --> 00:05:53,170
that some people
are calling for.

98
00:05:53,435 --> 00:05:56,911
For in the oath I took upon
assuming office, I swore

99
00:05:56,911 --> 00:05:59,817
to protect the German
people from harm.

100
00:06:00,656 --> 00:06:03,557
That includes
protecting our country

101
00:06:03,557 --> 00:06:04,993
and our allies
from danger.

102
00:06:05,931 --> 00:06:10,127
Four definite political principles
can be derived from this:

103
00:06:10,127 --> 00:06:13,318
Firstly: no German
go-it alone efforts!

104
00:06:13,318 --> 00:06:14,470
Whatever we do,

105
00:06:14,734 --> 00:06:17,614
we coordinate closely
with our Alliance partners

106
00:06:17,614 --> 00:06:21,071
– in Europe and
across the Atlantic.

107
00:06:21,071 --> 00:06:25,103
Secondly: in everything we
do we ensure that we maintain

108
00:06:25,103 --> 00:06:27,718
our capacity to
defend ourselves!

109
00:06:27,718 --> 00:06:29,710
And we have decided

110
00:06:29,710 --> 00:06:32,326
to significantly improve the
resources of the Bundeswehr

111
00:06:32,590 --> 00:06:35,783
so that it will remain in a
position to defend us in future.

112
00:06:36,408 --> 00:06:39,068
Thirdly: we will
not do anything

113
00:06:39,068 --> 00:06:42,259
that could inflict more damage on
ourselves and our partners than on Russia.

114
00:06:42,908 --> 00:06:46,767
And fourthly: we will
not take any decision

115
00:06:46,767 --> 00:06:49,648
that makes NATO
a party to the war.

116
00:06:49,648 --> 00:06:51,063
We stand by
these principles.

117
00:06:52,587 --> 00:06:54,305
Never again should there
be another world war

118
00:06:54,617 --> 00:06:56,920
– let alone a war
between nuclear powers –

119
00:06:56,920 --> 00:07:00,641
that is another
lesson of 8 May.

120
00:07:00,641 --> 00:07:05,825
Fellow citizens,
I cannot say

121
00:07:05,825 --> 00:07:08,646
today when and how
Russia’s brutal war

122
00:07:08,646 --> 00:07:10,686
against
Ukraine will end.

123
00:07:10,951 --> 00:07:15,294
However, one thing is clear. There must
not be a victor’s peace dictated by Russia.

124
00:07:15,294 --> 00:07:18,175
Ukrainians will
not accept that

125
00:07:18,438 --> 00:07:19,591
– and neither will we.

126
00:07:21,116 --> 00:07:23,021
Seldom have we presented

127
00:07:23,021 --> 00:07:25,578
such a united front with our friends
and partners as we are doing today.

128
00:07:25,891 --> 00:07:27,882
I am firmly
convinced of this:

129
00:07:28,499 --> 00:07:31,280
Putin will not
win the war.

130
00:07:31,592 --> 00:07:33,319
Ukraine will prevail.

131
00:07:33,319 --> 00:07:36,199
Freedom and
security will win the day

132
00:07:36,463 --> 00:07:40,231
– just as freedom and security
triumphed over oppression,

133
00:07:40,495 --> 00:07:43,376
violence and dictatorship
77 years ago.

134
00:07:44,617 --> 00:07:50,085
Doing everything in our power to bring this
about – that is what “Never again” means today.

135
00:07:50,085 --> 00:07:54,528
That is the
legacy of 8 May.