With indignation, the Society for the Conferring of the International Charlemagne Prize of Aachen takes note of the recent remarks made by US President Donald Trump, in which he assigns responsibility for the ongoing Russian war of aggression to Ukrainian President and 2023 Karlspreis laureate Volodymyr Zelenskyy and disrespectfully calls him a dictator.

These statements are not only historically and factually incorrect, but they also disregard fundamental principles of democracy and international order. President Zelenskyy was honoured with the Karlspreis in 2023 because, as the President of Ukraine and as a symbol of a courageous people, he stands for freedom, sovereignty, and European values.

Respect and responsibility are essential pillars of a functioning democracy. The reversal of blame implied in Trump's remarks not only distorts the reality of Russia’s illegal war of aggression but also trivialises the suffering inflicted on the Ukrainian population by this war. Such statements are unacceptable and amount to a mockery of the victims of this conflict.

We condemn these undemocratic statements in the strongest possible terms and reaffirm our unwavering solidarity with Ukraine, its president, and its people. The International Charlemagne Prize will continue to support all those who stand up for the fundamental values of peace, democracy, and European unity and who advocate for respect in international dialogue.