German President Frank Walter Steinmeier has warned world leaders against allowing the international order to collapse into what he described as a “den of robbers,” where powerful and unscrupulous actors take what they want without regard for rules or values.

Speaking at a symposium on Wednesday, Steinmeier said global democracy is under greater threat than at any point in recent history. While the German presidency is largely ceremonial, Steinmeier’s remarks carry diplomatic weight, and the role allows him greater freedom to speak bluntly than elected government officials.

The former foreign minister pointed to Russia’s annexation of Crimea and its full scale invasion of Ukraine as a historic turning point for the global order. He said recent U.S. foreign policy decisions represent a second major rupture.

Without naming specific events, Steinmeier strongly criticised U.S. foreign policy under former President Donald Trump, saying it marked a breakdown in shared values.

“Then there is the breakdown of values by our most important partner, the USA, which helped build this world order,” Steinmeier said.

He warned that the erosion of international norms could lead to a world in which entire regions or countries are treated as the property of a few great powers.

“It is about preventing the world from turning into a den of robbers, where the most unscrupulous take whatever they want,” he said.

Steinmeier called for active international engagement in response to growing threats and said influential countries such as Brazil and India must be persuaded to help defend and uphold the global rules based order.