Vladimir Putin has suggested that former Chancellor Gerhard Schröder mediate between him and the EU regarding Ukraine. He also sees an end to the war.
May 10, 2026, 4:16 amMay 10, 2026, 4:16 am
Vladimir Putin sees an end to his war of aggression against Ukraine – and has a surprise in store. The Kremlin ruler has brought up former Chancellor Gerhard Schröder as a possible mediator for negotiations with the EU.
Getting along well: Former German Chancellor Gerhard Schröder and Vladimir Putin in 2009.Image: keystone
Speaking after the Victory Parade in Moscow’s Red Square on Saturday, Putin said he believed “the matter is coming to an end.” At the same time, he reported that Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico had informed him that Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky was willing to meet in person – in a third country, provided a permanent peace agreement was agreed in advance. Putin had previously insisted on talks in Russia.
When asked about possible talks with European governments, Putin named Gerhard Schröder as his preferred channel. It initially remained unclear whether this initiative was coordinated with Schröder and whether the EU would engage with him as a mediator.
Schröder has close contacts with Putin
The 82-year-old Schröder was Chancellor from 1998 to 2005 and then maintained close relationships with Putin and Russian energy companies. Both have met privately again and again; Schröder was at Putin’s birthday. The Kremlin ruler himself spoke of a “personal friendship”.
After the Russian invasion of Ukraine in February 2022 at the latest, he came under sharp criticism for this. There were several requests within the SPD to exclude the party – but Schröder remained a member.
The German government expressed caution on Friday. A spokesman said he did not want to speculate when talks might be possible. Russia is currently “obviously not interested in serious negotiations”. A coordinated European approach together with Ukraine is important.
The Financial Times had already reported on Thursday that EU heads of state and government were preparing for possible talks with Moscow. The Kremlin recently emphasized that Europe had to take the first step – after all, it itself cut off contacts with Moscow after the start of the war in 2022.
Sources used:
- Reuters news agency