German President Frank-Walter Steinmeier has sharply criticized US foreign policy under President Donald Trump, and urged the world not to allow the global order to disintegrate into a "den of thieves" where the unscrupulous take what they want, Reuters reports.
In extremely strong remarks, which appeared to refer to actions such as the ouster of Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro at the weekend, the former foreign minister said global democracy was under attack like never before.
Although the German president's role is largely ceremonial, his words carry some weight and he has more freedom to express views than politicians.
Describing Russia's annexation of Crimea and full-scale invasion of Ukraine as a turning point, Steinmeier said the US's behavior represented a second historic rupture.
"Then there is the sharing of values by our most important partner, the US, which helped build this world order," Steinmeier said in his remarks at a symposium late on Wednesday.
“It is about preventing the world from becoming a den of thieves, where the most unscrupulous take whatever they want, where entire regions or countries are treated as the property of a few great powers,” he said. “Active intervention was necessary in threatening situations, and countries like Brazil and India had to be persuaded to defend the world order,” he added.
