Putin's pick for EU-Russia talks spotted in Moscow
Photo: Former German Chancellor Gerhard Schröder (Getty Images)
Former German Chancellor Gerhard Schröder, whom the Kremlin has previously proposed as a mediator between Russia and Europe, has arrived in Moscow, according to NTV.
NTV correspondent Rainer Munz spotted Schröder at the Kempinski hotel in Moscow. What exactly the former German Chancellor is doing in the Russian capital is currently unknown.
The visit comes ahead of the St. Petersburg International Economic Forum, which is set to begin later this week. The event will be attended by representatives of German business circles, as well as politicians from the Alternative for Germany (AfD) party.
Why Schröder’s visit has drawn attention
Recently, Russian leader Vladimir Putin suggested Schröder as a possible mediator in negotiations on the war in Ukraine.
Schröder has remained one of the most controversial figures in German politics for years due to his close ties with Putin and his work with Russian energy companies.
After Russia’s annexation of Crimea in 2014, he celebrated his 70th birthday together with the Russian President in St. Petersburg. Even after the start of Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine, Schröder continued for some time to cooperate with Russian energy structures.
In addition, the former Chancellor has repeatedly called for restoring economic cooperation with Russia and spoken out against its "demonization." In 2022, he also visited Moscow and met with Putin, although those contacts did not produce any tangible results.
The EU is looking for a negotiator with Russia
Earlier, Politico reported that EU member states are divided over the idea of appointing a special envoy for talks with Russia. Some countries consider it necessary amid the gradual withdrawal of the United States from its mediating role, while others see it as a risk of weakening pressure on the Kremlin.
Ukraine’s strongest allies oppose the idea, stressing that Vladimir Putin shows no readiness for the end of the war, and that appointing a negotiator could undermine the EU’s sanctions policy against Russia.
Among the names discussed in European political circles were European Council President António Costa, Finnish President Alexander Stubb, former European Central Bank President Mario Draghi, former Finnish President Sauli Niinistö, and former European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker.
Former German Chancellor Angela Merkel was also mentioned, but she made it clear that she does not consider herself the right candidate.
At the same time, the candidacy of former German Chancellor Gerhard Schröder, proposed by Putin, has been publicly rejected in Berlin and Brussels.
EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas has also directly called Schröder a well-known lobbyist for Russian companies.
