With respect to Great Britain, I have a dream, by the way: that the Brits will see that the EU is changing, and change their minds. And then remain in the EU or return to the EU. I am not giving up hope.

There are historic examples where a soft domination of certain states worked well. For instance the US, who dominated the Western alliance after World War II - with a giant army, an enormous population, and its globally superior economic power. This role is quite different for Germany today.

Germany's potential makes up about 20% of the EU's overall economic power, including Great Britain. The German army is by no means strong enough to guarantee the security of the EU's two endangered flanks - in the east and in the south. So all that remains for Germany is partnerships with its neighbours and other EU member states. Germany should stick to that role.

For Germany, Poland is now a more important trade partner than Russia. With respect to history, our peoples will require more time for the wounds to heal. But it is also important to stick to the truth in accounting for the past. This is not compatible with, for instance, TV movies such as "Our mothers, our fathers" that try to partly shift the liability for Nazi crimes to us Poles.

The Germans are indeed the economically and politically strongest power in Europe. But their superiority does not equal the past and present superiority of the Americans.

There cannot be a federal state of Europe without all citizens receiving the same benefits and rights.

Who lent the Greeks the most money? It was German banks, and for a long time, they were profiting from it quite nicely.