WEBVTT

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Fellow citizens,

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the Second World War came to an
end in Europe 77 years ago today.

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When the weapons fell silent on
8 May 1945, there was a deathly calm

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– shrouding the graves of
more than 60 million women,

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men and children.

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Millions of people
fell on the battlefields.

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Millions were murdered in
their towns and villages,

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in concentration camps
and extermination camps.

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Germans were the ones who perpetrated
this crime against humanity.

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It is therefore all
the more painful

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to see how today, at the heart of Europe,
77 years after the end of the Second World War,

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brutal violence is once
again breaking the law.

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How Russia’s
army is slaughtering

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men, women and
children in Ukraine,

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laying waste to towns and cities, even
attacking those attempting to flee.

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For me, this 8 May
is like no other.

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That is why I am
addressing you today.

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We cannot commemorate the end of
the Second World War in Europe

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without facing the
fact that once again

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Europe is beset by war.

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Russia has
unleashed this war.

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Once, Russians and Ukrainians fought
together, making ultimate sacrifices

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to bring down Germany’s murderous
National Socialist regime.

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During that period,
Germany committed crimes

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against both nations,
Russia and Ukraine.

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We have been striving for decades with
both to bring about reconciliation.

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Now, however, Russia’s President
Putin wants to overthrow Ukraine

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and destroy its
culture and its identity.

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President Putin even
regards his barbaric war

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of aggression as being on a par with
the fight against National Socialism.

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That is a falsification of history
and a disgraceful distortion.

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We have an obligation
to state this clearly.

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But that is not enough.

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It was the military
victory of the Allies

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which put an end

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to the National Socialist
dictatorship in Germany.

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That is something that we Germans
are grateful for to this very day.

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That is why the then Federal
President Richard von Weizsäcker,

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speaking in 1985, was able to refer
to 8 May as a “day of liberation”.

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The disastrous
history of our country

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between 1933 and 1945 has
taught us one key lesson.

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It is this:
“Never again!”

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Never again should there be war.
Never again should there be genocide.

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Never again should
there be tyranny.

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And yet it has happened
again – war in Europe.

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Ukrainian President Zelensky
pointed that out today.

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In the current situation
that can only mean one thing:

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that we defend justice and freedom – side
by side with those who are under attack.

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We support Ukraine in the
fight against its aggressor.

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To not do so would be to capitulate
in the face of pure violence

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– and to strengthen
the aggressor’s position.

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We are helping to find a
way to end the violence.

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That is why in the past
few days and weeks

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we have taken far-reaching
and difficult decisions

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– quickly and resolutely,
judiciously and carefully.

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We have imposed unprecedented
sanctions on the Russian economy

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and the Russian
leadership in order

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to divert Putin
from the path of war.

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We have welcomed

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hundreds of thousands of
Ukrainians with open arms.

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Hundreds of thousands who
have found refuge with us

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after fleeing from the
violence in their homeland.

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Aid organisations are
providing initial support,

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schools and nurseries are
setting up Welcome Classes,

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citizens are taking
refugees into their homes.

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I would like to convey to
you my heartfelt thanks

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for this huge demonstration of
support throughout our country.

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And – for the first time in the
history of the Federal Republic

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– we have sent
arms to a war zone -

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in large quantities,

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and also, after careful
consideration, heavy weapons.

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We will continue
to do so.

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I can well imagine

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how unsettled many of you
are by these decisions.

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After all, this is literally
about war and peace.

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About our historical
responsibility.

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About demonstrating the greatest possible
solidarity with Ukraine, in the grip of aggression.

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About the security of our
country and our Alliance.

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Reconciling
all these goals

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– that is the task we face
on a day-to-day basis.

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It is good and legitimate
that we as a nation engage

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in intensive discussion on issues
with such vast implications.

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Democracy involves
grappling with these kinds.

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of controversial topics with
respect and mutual consideration

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The Federal President
rightly underscored

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this in his address
this morning.

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Many of the comments I am hearing
at the moment express grave concern.

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The fear among other things
that the war could spread,

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that peace here in our country
could also be under threat.

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It would be wrong simply to
dismiss these sentiments.

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Such concerns
need to be voiced.

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Yet at the same time we cannot allow
ourselves to be paralysed by fear.

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I have described to
you what we are doing

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to defend justice and freedom in
Ukraine and throughout Europe.

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It is a considerable
amount.

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Nonetheless, we are not
simply doing all the things

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that some people
are calling for.

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For in the oath I took upon
assuming office, I swore

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to protect the German
people from harm.

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That includes
protecting our country

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and our allies
from danger.

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Four definite political principles
can be derived from this:

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Firstly: no German
go-it alone efforts!

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Whatever we do,

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we coordinate closely
with our Alliance partners

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– in Europe and
across the Atlantic.

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Secondly: in everything we
do we ensure that we maintain

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our capacity to
defend ourselves!

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And we have decided

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to significantly improve the
resources of the Bundeswehr

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so that it will remain in a
position to defend us in future.

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Thirdly: we will
not do anything

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that could inflict more damage on
ourselves and our partners than on Russia.

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And fourthly: we will
not take any decision

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that makes NATO
a party to the war.

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We stand by
these principles.

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Never again should there
be another world war

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– let alone a war
between nuclear powers –

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that is another
lesson of 8 May.

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Fellow citizens,
I cannot say

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today when and how
Russia’s brutal war

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against
Ukraine will end.

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However, one thing is clear. There must
not be a victor’s peace dictated by Russia.

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Ukrainians will
not accept that

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– and neither will we.

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Seldom have we presented

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such a united front with our friends
and partners as we are doing today.

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I am firmly
convinced of this:

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Putin will not
win the war.

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Ukraine will prevail.

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Freedom and
security will win the day

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– just as freedom and security
triumphed over oppression,

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violence and dictatorship
77 years ago.

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Doing everything in our power to bring this
about – that is what “Never again” means today.

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That is the
legacy of 8 May.