The events of the past should not be repeated, the story should not become a weapon, and the memory should unite, and not disconnect the peoples of Europe, said German President Frank-Walter Steinmeier in a speech dedicated to the 80th anniversary of the German attack on the Soviet Union during World War II .
“Echo of the Caucasus” reports that Steinmeier, referring to residents of Russia, Ukraine, Belarus, other countries of the former union and all countries affected by “from unleashed by Germany to destroy the war”, urged to prevent “we again turned out to be enemies to a friend.
The President of Germany performed in the German-Russian Museum of Karlshorst, in a building, where on the night of May 9, 1945 a protocol on the surrender of the Third Reich was signed.
Steinmeier reminded the death of 14 million civilians in Ukraine, Belarus, Baltic countries and Russia during the war, including the victims of the Holocaust and the blockade of Leningrad.
“The gift of reconciliation imposes great responsibility to Germany. We want to do everything to protect international law and territorial integrity on our continent, to strengthen peace with the states of the former Soviet Union and between them,” said Steinmeier.