German president visits WWII bombing site as Europe seeks to bolster united front against Russia

LONDON (AP) – Germany’s president laid a wreath Friday at Coventry Cathedral in central England, symbolically atoning for the atrocities of World War II as his country and the United Kingdom seek to bolster an alliance to combat the new war raging in Europe.

Frank-Walter Steinmeier’s pilgrimage commemorates the Nazi bombing of Coventry on the night of Nov. 14, 1940, which destroyed the 14th-century Gothic cathedral, leaving behind a roofless ruin that stands as a reminder of the ravages of war. At least 568 people were killed and more than half of Coventry’s homes were damaged or destroyed in what was the single most concentrated attack on a British city during the war.

Britain was represented at the event by the Duke of Kent, who has long fostered U.K.-German reconciliation. He served as the royal patron of the Dresden Trust, which seeks to build bonds between the people of Britain and Dresden following the Allied bombing that destroyed the German city’s historic center and killed an estimated 25,000 people in February 1945.

Steinmeier’s appearance wraps up a three-day state visit to Britain, the first by a German head of state in 27 years.

During a lavish banquet on Wednesday night at Windsor Castle, Steinmeier and King Charles III put on a show of Anglo-Saxon unity, exchanging toasts that celebrated the cultural and historic ties between their nations and highlighted efforts to build a common front against Russia’s war in Ukraine.

In his toast, Steinmeier described Coventry as a symbol of the bonds that grew out of the war that ended 80 years ago.

“Flourishing cities grew out of the ashes. Enemies became friends,” he said. “That is our common history – and it shows what is possible when people have the courage to pursue reconciliation.”

The state visit came as European nations bond together to support Ukraine and confront Russian efforts to destabilize Western democracies through so-called hybrid attacks such as election interference, disinformation and sabotage. Shaken by what they see as U.S. President Donald Trump’s lack of reliability, European nations are increasing military spending and boosting military cooperation.

Earlier this year, the United Kingdom and Germany signed a treaty pledging to deepen cooperation on a range of issues, including defense, migration and the fight against climate change.

Martin Farr, an expert in modern British history at Newcastle University, said that Steinmeier’s visit highlights the fact that European nations are working together much more than at any time since 1815. That was the year that the continent’s major powers set up the Concert of Europe, a set of practices and principles designed to keep the peace after the Napoleonic Wars.

“War’s been mentioned in this visit,” Farr said. “War, in some part, has occasioned the visit and its importance. And so the historical echoes are really very profound, I think.”

The pomp and ceremony of Steinmeier’s visit to Britain is part of that.

While state visits are hosted by the king, they are scheduled at the request of the elected government to reward friends – and sometimes nudge reluctant partners – with the red carpet treatment only the British royal family can provide.

On Wednesday, Charles welcomed Steinmeier and his wife, Elke Büdenbender, with a warm handshake before bundling them into a horse-drawn carriage for the ride to Windsor Castle, where a military band played the national anthems of both countries and Steinmeier inspected the assembled troops.

For the banquet, Queen Camilla and the Princess of Wales donned glittering tiaras and flowing evening gowns as they escorted their guests into St. George’s Hall for a sumptuous meal served on 200-year-old silver. The hall was decorated with a 6-meter-tall (nearly 20-foot-tall) Christmas tree adorned with thousands of lights.

Steinmeier also held talks with Prime Minister Keir Starmer, laid a wreath at the tomb of the late Queen Elizabeth II and addressed Parliament.

During his speech to lawmakers, Steinmeier described Russia’s invasion of Ukraine as an attack on the rules-based order that was built in Europe following World War II.

“We are seeing the resurgence of imperial ambitions, the attempt by destabilizing forces to divide us and pit us against one another,” he said. “And that is precisely why we must stand united. We need to stand up as one for what defines us.”