The former Chancellor of Germany, Gerhard Schroederinsists on his position that his personal friendly relationship with the president of Russia, Vladimir Putincould be exploited, in order to end the war in Ukraine through negotiations.
“We have cooperated with reason for many years. Perhaps this could still help find a negotiated solution.”as “I don’t see any other solution”Schroeder said in an interview with the German News Agency about Vladimir Putin.
The former chancellor and the Russian president were linked by a friendly relationship during the former’s time in power.
Schroeder continues to work for the Russian companies that have a majority stake in the Nord Stream pipelines. Although he has called the Russian military’s attack on Ukraine a “fatal mistake”, he has never disowned Vladimir Putin.
The leadership of his faction, the Social Democrats (SPD, the strongest party in the current governing coalition), sidelined him for this reason, and he is often the target of fierce criticism at home. However, an attempt to oust him from the SPD failed.
Asked by dpa how he can maintain his friendship with the Russian president while so many thousands of lives have been lost, Schroeder replied “the truth is that it is a completely different dimension”.
He judged and continues to judge that this personal relationship could be useful in solving the extremely difficult political problem, he explained. Besides that, “I think it would be completely wrong to forget the positive things we did in politics in the past. It’s not my style and I won’t do it.” he insisted.
He also referred to his attempt to mediate in March 2022, a few weeks after the attack, when he met first in Kiev with Ukrainian parliamentarian – now defense minister – Rustem Umerov and then in Moscow with Vladimir Putin. The mediation effort failed.
Read also
USA: Obama and Clinton at Biden’s side
Baltimore: Shocking Audio Document Before Bridge Collapse – ‘Stop Traffic’
Murder and billions in Greek football: The stench of the “ball” in the German FAZ
New Colombia-Argentina diplomatic episode: Millay called his Colombian counterpart a “terrorist”
Baltimore: Bodies of two of six workers recovered – ‘They were trapped inside a vehicle’
The mafia builds the Balkans – Trump’s son-in-law’s investment in Albania and black money
#Gerhard #Schroeder #negotiate #Putin
