“The above-mentioned statements of the federal president regarding the historical memory caused frank surprise and real shock in Ukraine,” the Ukrinform agency quotes Melnyk as saying.

The Ukrainian diplomat believes that Steinmeier is picking up the "narrative imposed by Russian propaganda" that Germany should "atone for the barbaric crimes of the Nazi occupation only in front of Russia."

Melnik also said that the automatic equating of the USSR with Russia is "an absolutely unacceptable distortion of history."

Earlier, the German politician in an interview with the Rheinische Post newspaper said that for Germany it is important "to look at a very volatile history with Russia."

The President recalled that June 22 will mark 80 years since the German attack on the USSR, which killed 20 million people in the Soviet Union.

In addition, Steinmeier noted that in light of the deteriorating relations, energy relations are "almost the last bridge between Russia and Europe."