EU top diplomat says 'clear' why Putin wants Schroeder as mediator

BRUSSELS

EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas on Monday pushed back on Russian President Vladimir Putin's proposal for ex-German leader Gerhard Schroeder to mediate with Europe on the war in Ukraine.

"If we give the right to Russia to appoint a negotiator on our behalf, you know, that would not be very wise," Kallas told reporters ahead of foreign ministers' talks in Brussels.

"Gerhard Schroeder has been a high-level lobbyist for Russian state-owned companies. So it's clear why Putin wants him to be the person so that actually, you know, he would be sitting on both sides of the table," she said.

Asked on Saturday whom he would like to help restart talks with Europe, Putin said he would "personally" prefer Schroeder, who led Germany from 1998 to 2005.

The former chancellor has remained close to the Kremlin leader long after leaving office, standing apart from most Western leaders since Russia invaded Ukraine in 2022.

The 82-year-old previously held key roles in Russian energy projects, including work on the Nord Stream gas pipelines and a seat on the board of Russian oil firm Rosneft, which he gave up in 2022.

On the broader question of speaking directly with Putin, Kallas reiterated that the European Union's member countries should first seek to align objectives from any such talks — and would seek to do so during informal foreign ministers' talks later this month.

"Before we discuss with Russia, we should discuss amongst ourselves what we want to talk to them about," Kallas said.

Berlin has likewise reacted sceptically to Putin's Schroeder proposal, with government sources telling AFP Sunday they viewed it as part of "a series of bogus offers" from Russia.

Schroeder's stance has made him a controversial figure at home. He has never publicly condemned Russia's invasion of Ukraine, costing him several privileges normally granted to former chancellors.