German President Frank-Walter Steinmeier has accused the United States of weakening the post-Second World War international order it once championed, warning that recent actions by Washington pose a serious threat to global stability.

Speaking on Wednesday, Steinmeier said the conduct of the US amounted to a major breach of international norms, describing it as a historic rupture comparable to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.

Although he did not mention any specific policy, his remarks followed widespread international reactions to recent US military operations in Venezuela that reportedly resulted in the capture of President Nicolás Maduro.

According to the German leader, the erosion of shared values by the United States — a key architect of the existing world order — is deeply troubling.

He warned that without collective restraint, the world risks sliding into a lawless system “where the most unscrupulous take whatever they want, and where regions or entire countries are treated as the property of a few great powers”.

Steinmeier called for decisive global intervention to prevent such a breakdown and urged emerging powers to join efforts to defend the rules-based international system.

His comments mark the first time a European leader has openly criticised the recent actions of the US, a notable development given Europe’s long-standing alliance with Washington.

Meanwhile, a new poll released on Thursday showed that 76 per cent of Germans no longer view the US as a reliable partner — the highest level of distrust recorded in the country in recent years.