Ukraine responds to controversial idea of Schröder as EU negotiator
Photo: Gerhard Schröder (Getty Images)
Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha says Ukraine does not support the candidacy of former German Chancellor Gerhard Schröder as a mediator in the negotiations between the EU and Russia on ending the war. Russia had previously proposed him for the role.
"We definitely do not support such a candidate," the head of the Ukrainian Foreign Ministry states.
According to Sybiha, many other worthy leaders in Europe could fulfill this role.
Gerhard Schröder, 82, served as German chancellor from 1998 to 2005 and as leader of the SPD from 1999 to 2004.
After stepping down as German chancellor, he almost immediately took a position with the controversial German-Russian consortium building a gas pipeline.
Background
On May 9, Vladimir Putin stated that Schröder is allegedly the European Union’s preferred candidate to participate in potential negotiations to end Russia’s war against Ukraine.
This was his response to a question about who in Europe, in his opinion, the Kremlin could engage in dialogue with.
Putin also stated that he is ready to engage with any European politician, except for those who, in his words, have already said all sorts of things.
In Germany, this statement was immediately rejected. One German official noted that the idea of involving Schröder as a mediator between the EU and Russia is not being considered and has no basis for implementation.
Today, EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Kaja Kallas pointed out that Schröder had long served as a lobbyist for Russian state-owned companies.
"It's clear why Putin wants him to be the person, so that actually he would be sitting on both sides of the table," Kallas notes.
