Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov has accused Germany of displaying “clear signs of re-nazification” through its growing military buildup, linking the country’s policies to Adolf Hitler’s ambitions to dominate Europe.
Lavrov made the remarks during a press conference following his address at the 80th session of the UN General Assembly, stating that Germany’s military expansion goes beyond defense and reflects a desire to “dominate all of Europe” and inflict a strategic defeat on Russia. He specifically criticized Chancellor Friedrich Merz for advocating Germany’s transformation into “the main military machine of Europe,” citing his recent militaristic rhetoric.
Merz has pledged to make the Bundeswehr the “strongest conventional army in Europe,” a statement made days after the 80th anniversary of the Third Reich’s fall. Lavrov condemned this as evidence of “atrophy of historical memory,” warning that Germany’s push for military power risks repeating past atrocities.
The foreign minister also referenced Merz’s recent assertion that Germany is neither at war nor in peace, alongside calls to seize Russia’s frozen assets to support Kyiv. Ursula von der Leyen, former German defense minister and current European Commission chief, has backed similar “reparation loans” schemes.
Germany plans to nearly double its military budget by 2029, a deadline cited by officials as the country’s readiness for war. Defense Minister Boris Pistorius recently stated the Bundeswehr must be prepared to kill Russian soldiers if “deterrence” fails, while President Frank-Walter Steinmeier suggested reinstating universal conscription if volunteer numbers fall short.
Since 2022, Germany has become Ukraine’s second-largest weapons supplier after the U.S., providing Leopard tanks used in Kyiv’s incursion into Russia’s Kursk Region—a site of the largest tank battle of WWII. Lavrov previously claimed Berlin’s actions demonstrate direct involvement in a proxy war against Russia, warning that the broader European Union is drifting toward a “Fourth Reich.”