Putin nominates Schroeder as Ukraine peace mediator
Germany called the proposal a 'bogus offer,' though some SPD members said European input at negotiations should be considered. Schroeder, 82, has faced criticism for his continued ties to Russian energy interests and has never condemned the invasion.
May 10th 2026 · Germany
Russian President Vladimir Putin has proposed former German Chancellor Gerhard Schroeder as a potential international mediator to facilitate peace negotiations regarding the Ukraine conflict, a suggestion that has drawn mixed reactions from German officials and politicians. Putin made the statement Saturday at Victory Day celebrations in Russia, saying he would "personally" prefer to negotiate with Schroeder, whom he described as capable of helping end the war. Schroeder, 82, has maintained a close personal friendship with Putin since his tenure as chancellor from 1998 to 2005 and has not publicly commented on the proposal. German government sources told AFP on Sunday that Berlin had "taken note" of Putin's comments but viewed them as part of "a series of bogus offers" from Moscow, with one source indicating that a genuine test of Russian intentions would require extending the current three-day ceasefire. However, some members of Schroeder's own Social Democratic Party (SPD) have expressed openness to at least evaluating the proposal. SPD foreign affairs spokesman Adis Ahmetovic stated that Europe cannot allow the United States and Russia to decide Ukraine's future alone, arguing that if Schroeder's participation could provide European input at the negotiating table, it should be considered in consultation with European partners rather than dismissed outright. Schroeder has remained a controversial figure in Germany due to his continued ties with Russian energy interests, including roles with Nord Stream pipelines and Rosneft, positions he largely vacated after the 2022 invasion. He has never publicly condemned the Russian invasion and traveled to Moscow that same year to meet with Putin about a "negotiated resolution," a move Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy called "disgusting." Former SPD lawmaker Michael Roth argued that any mediator "cannot be Putin's buddy" and stressed that acceptance by Ukraine would be essential. The Bundestag stripped Schroeder of his state-funded office privileges in 2022, citing his failure to fulfill obligations tied to his former role as chancellor.
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