SPD foreign policy officials have indicated a willingness to seriously consider Vladimir Putin’s suggestion to utilize former German Chancellor Gerhard Schröder as a mediator in the Ukraine conflict.
According to Adis Ahmetovic, the spokesperson for the SPD parliamentary group, the party believes that all proposals must be examined carefully to determine their credibility. Ahmetovic emphasized that the future of Ukraine and European security cannot be left solely to the decisions of the United States and Russia. The SPD goal, he stated, must be to participate actively at the negotiating table. He added that if including the former German Chancellor is a prerequisite for such participation, this must be carefully evaluated in close coordination with European partners and should not be instantly dismissed. Ahmetovic suggested that a possible first test of credibility could be a locally prolonged ceasefire acceptable to both sides.
These comments follow statements from Putin, who previously noted that he would prefer negotiating with Schröder over any other European politician.
Complementing this stance, SPD foreign policy official Ralf Stegner also encouraged reviewing Putin’s proposal. Stegner stated that he welcomes any initiative that could help end the fighting. He criticized Europe’s current lack of involvement in discussions, arguing that the continent is not presently contributing any proposals. Stegner warned that ignoring a possibility like using Schröder would be a mistake. For the SPD officials, finding a way to prevent Putin and Trump from unilaterally deciding Ukraine’s future requires seizing every possible opportunity, no matter how slight. Crucially, they maintained that any resulting agreement must secure the full consent of Ukraine.
