German President Frank-Walter Steinmeier:

Let us not allow ourselves to be paralyzed by deliberately fabricated distorted images of our country — fabricated by Kremlin trolls, by German right-wing extremists or by left-authoritarian cranks, and flooded onto the internet by truly unscrupulous internet oligarchs.

Oligarchs whose private wealth and financial influence over politics, in truth, exceed all previously known limits.

Let us stand our ground against this flood of manipulation and lies. I am certain we can do it. Our democracy is not for sale. It will not surrender itself to its enemies.

We are stronger than this depravity. Our Germany is a good country. Let us make sure it stays that way.