Despite the war in Ukraine, Germany will continue funding humanitarian projects in St. Petersburg

Germany will continue funding humanitarian projects in St. Petersburg with a total budget of €12 million, despite the ongoing war in Ukraine.

This announcement was made by Germany’s Foreign Ministry on the 81st anniversary of the lifting of the Siege of Leningrad.

According to the German Foreign Ministry, the blockade of Leningrad was a horrific crime committed by the Wehrmacht against the city and its population.

“As a gesture of reconciliation and in honor of the victims, the federal government is supporting the modernization of a hospital in St. Petersburg. Many blockade survivors, who are still alive, receive treatment in this hospital. Germany acknowledges its historical responsibility and continues these measures despite Russia’s aggressive war against Ukraine,” the statement reads.

The ministry emphasized that Germany has taken responsibility for crimes committed during World War II worldwide and will continue to do so.

The €12 million allocation for the blockade survivors’ project was first announced in 2019.

A year ago, Germany officially recognized its historical responsibility for the crimes committed by German forces during the blockade of Leningrad.

Meanwhile, at a recent congress of the far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) party, delegates refused to condemn Russia for its invasion of Ukraine or for what they described as “anti-German narratives.”