Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov has accused German Chancellor Friedrich Merz of allowing the “metastases of Nazism” to reach the top of German society after Merz called for Germany to once again have Europe’s strongest military.

“The metastases of Nazism continue to make their way to the top of German society under the leadership of Merz, openly declaring the need to once again make Germany the main military power in Europe,” Lavrov said in an interview on Friday. “Does he understand what the word ‘again’ means in this case? I’m not sure,” he added.

Merz has previously said he wants Germany to build Europe’s strongest conventional military as the country responds to the changing security situation following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.

In May, Lavrov described the German chancellor’s remarks about making the German army the strongest in Europe again as “astonishing”.

“I think there is no need to explain the meaning behind this phrase,” Russia’s state news agency Tass quoted him as saying at a Foreign Ministry memorial event.

Lavrov said Merz’s comments had raised concerns in Russia and other European countries about the direction of Euro-Atlantic integration. He accused officials in Brussels of encouraging “revanchist sentiments” across Europe and claimed some European countries were preparing “another” attack on Russia.

He also accused them of “unabashedly calling for a repeat of Hitler’s experience”.

“If the Nazis, who are resurging in the West through Ukraine, continue what they are doing now, there will be no mercy for them,” Lavrov said.

Lavrov Accuses US of Involvement in Attacks

Lavrov also said on Friday that Russia believed the United States was deeply involved in Ukrainian attacks against Russian territory. He said Moscow had raised the issue with Washington.

“We have submitted a series of questions to the State Department requesting comment, including on the matter of intelligence data and the fact that the US is far more deeply involved in organizing and executing strikes deep within Russian territory against civilian targets. We await a response,” Lavrov told Russian state television.

No peace talks on Ukraine have taken place since February, when the US went to war with Iran and suspended its efforts to mediate between Moscow and Kyiv.

Lavrov also referred to a summit between Russian President Vladimir Putin and US President Donald Trump a year ago, saying Moscow had been prepared to support US proposals for ending the war.

He quoted Putin as telling Trump: “Donald, you sent us proposals, and I’ve given them some thought. There are matters that require compromise. But I accept your proposals in the form you sent them to me.”