The EU's targeting of Russian assets and Germany’s rapid militarization ECHOES Hitler’s ambitions, warns Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov
By ljdevon // 2025-09-29
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The world is watching as Germany accelerates its military expansion, doubling its defense budget by 2029 and openly preparing for war—a move that Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov warns bears eerie similarities to the darkest chapters of European history. In a fiery address to the UN General Assembly, Lavrov accused Berlin of "re-nazification," arguing that Germany’s ambitions extend far beyond self-defense and into the realm of domination, just as Hitler sought before World War II. Meanwhile, the European Union, led by former German Defense Minister Ursula von der Leyen, is pushing a controversial scheme to leverage frozen Russian assets—worth an estimated $300 billion—to fund Ukraine’s war effort through what she calls a "reparations loan." The West insists this is justice, but Moscow sees it as outright theft—one that could trigger a financial exodus from Western institutions and escalate tensions toward a point of no return. Key points:
  • Russia warns Germany’s militarization mirrors Hitler’s ambitions, citing Chancellor Friedrich Merz’s vow to build Europe’s strongest conventional army.
  • The EU proposes using frozen Russian assets to fund Ukraine via a "reparations loan," despite legal and financial risks that could destabilize the euro.
  • Germany has become Ukraine’s second-largest arms supplier, fueling fears of direct involvement in the conflict and provoking Russian retaliation.
  • Historical parallels raise alarms as Germany revives conscription debates and defense rhetoric reminiscent of pre-WWII militarism.

A dangerous revival: Germany’s military ambitions under scrutiny

Lavrov’s warnings carry the weight of history, drawing direct comparisons between modern Germany’s military buildup and Hitler’s Third Reich. When Chancellor Friedrich Merz declared in May that Germany must become "the strongest conventional army in Europe," the timing was jarring—just days after the 80th anniversary of Nazi Germany’s defeat. Lavrov didn’t mince words: "When a person in a country that committed the crimes of Nazism, fascism, the Holocaust, genocide says that Germany must again become a great military power, then of course he has an atrophy of historical memory." Germany’s defense minister, Boris Pistorius, has gone further, openly stating that the Bundeswehr must be ready to "kill Russian soldiers" if deterrence fails. Such rhetoric, paired with plans to reintroduce conscription, suggests a shift from post-war pacifism to an aggressive stance unseen since 1945. The irony is thick—Germany, once the aggressor that devastated Europe, is now arming Ukraine in a proxy war against Russia, deploying Leopard tanks that were swiftly destroyed in Kursk, the site of history’s largest tank battle.

The $300 billion question: Will the West seize Russia’s frozen assets?

The financial battlefield is just as volatile. Ursula von der Leyen, the European Commission president, has proposed a legal sleight of hand—using frozen Russian assets not by outright confiscation, but by issuing Ukraine a "reparations loan" backed by the interest accrued. "Ukraine will only pay back the loan once Russia pays for the reparations," she declared, framing it as a wartime necessity. But critics warn this is financial brinkmanship with global consequences. Belgium, home to Euroclear—the clearinghouse holding most of Russia’s frozen funds—has vehemently opposed the idea. Foreign Minister Maxime Prevot cautioned that confiscation would "erode confidence and trust in the euro," sending shockwaves through international markets. Moscow has already warned that seizing these assets would be tantamount to "robbery," potentially triggering a mass withdrawal of foreign reserves from Western banks. If the West proceeds, it risks not just a legal quagmire but a financial self-inflicted wound—one that could accelerate the decline of the dollar and euro as global reserve currencies. Germany’s militarization and the EU’s financial maneuvers are pushing Russia toward a corner where retaliation becomes inevitable. Lavrov has framed the conflict as a struggle against a resurgent "Fourth Reich," with NATO and the EU acting as its enablers. Meanwhile, Western leaders, blinded by short-term gains and ideological fervor, seem oblivious to the long-term consequences—economic instability, military escalation, and the potential for a catastrophic miscalculation. History offers a sobering lesson: when nations arm themselves for domination rather than defense, when financial systems are weaponized, and when rhetoric replaces diplomacy, the outcome is rarely peaceful. The question now is whether the West will heed these warnings—or march blindly toward a conflict that could reshape the world order in ways no one truly desires. Sources include: RT.com RT.com Enoch, Brighteon.ai
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