Russia responds to Germany's WW2 anniversary snub
Germany is following in the footsteps of its Nazi predecessors by allegedly banning Russian and Belarusian delegates from the 80th World War II Victory anniversary celebrations, Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova has said.
On Friday, Berliner Zeitung reported that the German Foreign Ministry has spread classified memos stating that Moscow and Minsk's delegates will not be invited to this year's commemorations. The confidential document recommended local institutions expel any Russian or Belarusian representatives from the events, according to the East German newspaper.
'The very fact that the ideological heirs and direct descendants of Hitler's executioners will 'expel' Russians from the Victory Day celebrations already looks like a blatant insult,'
Zakharova commented on the article in a statement on Saturday.
'However, even here, [German Foreign Minister Annalena] Baerbock and her Einsatz team are not original, but almost verbatim borrow the experience of their predecessors,'
she said.
Read more
German foreign minister's grandfather was 'ardent Nazi' – Bild
Nazi Germany's Einsatzgruppen – its paramilitary death squads, responsible for mass murder during World War II – first expelled civilians to ghettos on an ethnic-national basis, later to be doomed to be moved to death camps, she noted.
Expelling people from events commemorating this year's Victory Day anniversary based on their nationality
'recreates'
these
'inhumane practices,'
the spokeswoman said.
Last year, Bild reported that the German foreign minister's late grandfather Waldemar Baerbock was an ardent Nazi and decorated officer of the Wehrmacht during the conflict.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Russia Today
6 hours ago
- Russia Today
Iran hails Russian rebuff of US bombing threat
Senior Iranian lawmaker Abolfazl Zohrevand has expressed gratitude to Russia for condemning American threats against the Islamic Republic over its nuclear program. Speaking exclusively to RT, he also suggested that Washington was attempting to lure Tehran into a 'propaganda trap.' The two countries began negotiations in Oman in April. US President Donald Trump has warned that if Iran does not 'make a deal, there will be bombing.' In an interview with RT on Friday, Zohrevand, who is a member of the Security and Foreign Policy Committee of the Iranian parliament, praised Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova for clearly articulating Moscow's opposition to the threats. The lawmaker also warned that Iran should be cautious not to fall into the 'trap' set by the US. 'The atmosphere that is being created by the Americans cannot be deemed credible,' Zohrevand stated, stressing that this was his personal opinion. Speaking during a press briefing on Wednesday, Zakharova described threats to target Iranian nuclear facilities as 'irresponsible,' emphasizing that such a strike would lead to 'catastrophic consequences' for the whole world. 'It should be obvious to everyone that the path toward the resolution of [issues] surrounding Iran's nuclear program is through diplomacy only,' she added. Following a phone conversation with Russian President Vladimir Putin that same day, President Trump wrote in a post on his Truth Social platform that 'President Putin suggested that he will participate in the discussions with Iran and that he could, perhaps, be helpful in getting this brought to a rapid conclusion.' Speaking to reporters on Thursday, Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov confirmed that 'President Putin said that we are ready to use [our close relations with Tehran]… to help contribute positively to the ongoing talks.' On Monday, Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi stated that his country was prepared to 'give assurances to all sides about the peaceful nature of our nuclear program.' Responding last month to Washington's demand that Tehran stop all uranium enrichment, the diplomat dismissed it as 'completely detached from the reality of negotiations.' Iran currently enriches uranium to 60% purity, far above the 3.67% cap set under the now-defunct 2015 nuclear deal. The Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action was rendered null and void after President Trump unilaterally withdrew the US from it during his first term, claiming that it was toothless.
Russia Today
2 days ago
- Russia Today
NATO aspirant reining in pro-bloc propaganda
The Georgian government is set to fold a media center promoting Western integration into the Foreign Ministry, according to its director. The Information Center on NATO and EU, based in Tbilisi, was launched in 2005 under then-President Mikhail Saakashvili to build public support for Georgia's membership in both blocs. An employee at the Center said in a social media post on Wednesday that he had received formal notification indicating the outlet would be closed by July 1. Director Tamara Tsuleiskiri later clarified that the NGO's functions would continue under the Foreign Ministry but that the current legal structure would be dissolved. Georgian officials confirmed the restructuring to the news agency Interpress. In 2008, NATO designated Georgia and Ukraine as potential future members, despite objections from several European leaders over concerns that the move would antagonize Moscow, which perceives the US-led military bloc as expansionist and hostile. Months later, Saakashvili launched a military operation against the then-breakaway Georgian region of South Ossetia, during which Russian peacekeepers stationed in the area were killed. Moscow responded swiftly, leading to a military defeat for Georgia, and shortly after recognized the region's independence. The failed gamble damaged Saakashvili's popularity and paved the way for the rise of the Georgian Dream party, which has taken a more skeptical view of the West. Last August, on the anniversary of the conflict, the party's ruling council issued a statement alleging that Saakashvili's actions 'were not a result of his mental instability, but a result of instructions from the outside and a well-planned betrayal.' Georgian Dream secured a sweeping victory in parliamentary elections last October. A coalition of pro-Western parties claimed the vote was rigged and launched street protests aimed at forcing the new government to step down. The EU and the US expressed support for the opposition's tactics — actions the Georgian government described as foreign interference. Georgian officials have accused the opposition of mimicking the strategy used in Ukraine in 2014 during the Western-backed Maidan coup. They have also alleged they are facing foreign pressure for not aligning with Kiev in its conflict with Moscow. Western nations, meanwhile, have accused the current government of 'undermining democracy' by passing legislation that mandates disclosure of foreign grants by domestic political organizations. Georgia has suspended accession talks with Brussels due to the tensions, but says it still seeks eventual membership in both the EU and NATO.
Russia Today
3 days ago
- Russia Today
Germany should expel all Russian diplomats
A senior German lawmaker has called on Berlin to effectively cut diplomatic ties with Moscow to combat the 'hybrid' threats he claims come from Russia. 'We should expel any remaining… diplomats,' Roderich Kiesewetter, known for his hardline anti-Russian stance, told Handelsblatt on Tuesday. He argued that doing so would help reduce Moscow's influence in Germany. According to Kiesewetter, Germany is currently 'inadequately protected against cyberattacks,' which he claims 'primarily' originate from Russia. He specifically accused Moscow of attempting to 'change public opinion in Germany' through such actions. He also accused China, North Korea, and Iran of launching 'hacking attacks.' The list of countermeasures suggested by the MP includes establishing a special government agency to refute disinformation or combat it 'through hybrid activities,' banning Russian tourists and journalists from entering Germany, shutting down 'propaganda portals,' and deleting any social media accounts deemed suspicious by the authorities. The lawmaker also called for the closure of the Russian House – a center in Berlin run by the Russian government agency Rossotrudnichestvo that holds cultural events and offers language courses – labeling it a network of Russian 'influence.' Moscow has warned that the expulsion of diplomats would be met with a tit-for-tat response. 'Berlin must have been missing the German diplomats,' Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova told Rossotrudnichestvo blasted Kiesewetter's words as 'absurd.' They 'have nothing to do with reality,' the agency's spokesman said, adding that the MP 'knows nothing about the activities of the Russian House in Berlin and has never been there.' The head of the Russian House also told TASS that such rhetoric 'does not foster international dialogue' and only 'strengthens the atmosphere of distrust, incites hatred and animosity.' Last year, Kiesewetter caused a stir in Germany by stating that Berlin should 'take the war to Russia' and 'do everything possible to enable Ukraine to destroy… ministries, command posts' on Russian territory. He is also an active supporter of supplying Kiev with Taurus missiles, which have a range of 500km and could reach Moscow. The interview comes as Berlin has taken an even more hardline position on Russia under new Chancellor Friedrich Merz. Since taking office, Merz has lifted range restrictions on Ukrainian strikes with German-supplied missiles and hinted at the possibility of sending Taurus missiles to Kiev. Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov has said in response that Berlin's 'direct involvement in the war is now obvious.'
