Your Excellency, Ambassador Gutmann,
General Williams,
Soldiers of the 1. Armored Brigade Combat Team,

I stand before you as the President of this country to deliver a clear and simple message: Thank you!

Thank you for your service, thank you for your sacrifice. What you do here, each and every one of you, is of existential importance to the security of my country, my people, our continent and our alliance.

Peace and security – maybe we have taken it for granted for too long. This country, Germany, has been unified, prosperous, surrounded by friends, engaged with partners around the world, embedded in strong alliances, NATO and European Union, for over 30 years.

But now war has returned to the European continent. Russia’s brutal and illegal invasion of Ukraine has shattered the European security order. It has brought terrible suffering upon Ukraine and its people. It has killed thousands and driven millions from their homes.

That is why we support Ukraine – and that is why we know: NATO is here for a reason. You are here for a reason!

And let me underline: not just now, not just since February, no, for decades, US soldiers have been engaged in Europe. Your grandfathers and great-grandfathers have fought to free our continent of the Nazi terror. Your parents and grandparents have secured our path toward a new beginning, toward democracy after the war. Generations of brave American men and women have served in Germany. They have come to know us, and appreciate us as their host country. And – who knows – some of them might even have come to appreciate our beer and bratwurst.

We, as Germans, owe our gratitude to all of them – to those who are serving with you in Germany and across Europe, and to those who came before you. I want to send my greetings and my gratitude to the hundreds of thousands of veterans and their families in America, who have served in my country before.

My second message to you: We stand united in this difficult time! Our transatlantic alliance is strong! We are united to defend freedom, democracy and international law. We are united in our support of Ukraine – politically and financially, with humanitarian and military assistance. Our unity and resolve have never been as crucial as now, in the face of Russian aggression. And unity and resolve is exactly what we have shown in NATO, in the European Union and the G7, following the invasion.

My third message is this: Germany will do everything in its power to uphold this unity. Just as we rely on you, you can rely on us! We stand by our commitment to collective defence, and we know that we have to do more! We will invest more, provide more troops on NATO’s eastern flank, and comprehensively modernise Germany’s armed forces. Together with you and all our partners, we are ready to defend every inch of NATO territory.

Soldiers: Thank you again for all that you do with us and for us! And, please, also send my warmest regards to your loved ones at home – your husbands and wives, children and parents. I know that it is their sacrifice as much as yours, that we are indebted to. Thank you!