The German political landscape reacted with skepticism after Russia’s President Vladimir Putin proposed former Chancellor Gerhard Schröder (SPD) as a mediator in the conflict with Ukraine. Putin had floated the suggestion on a press conference, stating, “Of all European politicians, I would prefer talks with Schröder”.
The proposal immediately met criticism from the opposition benches. Marie-Agnes Strack-Zimmermann, an FDP European Parliament MEP, questioned the viability of the arrangement, stressing that “a mediator in this war must be accepted by both sides”. She raised doubts about whether Ukraine would even consider him sufficiently neutral, particularly given his close associations with Putin, which reportedly date back to after the 2014 annexation of Crimea.
Strack-Zimmermann elaborated on Schröder’s ties to Russia, pointing out that he conducted business with Nord Stream and other Russian corporations right up until the conflict began. She also mentioned the “bizarre appearance” of Schröder and his wife in Moscow in 2022, noting that he had repeatedly sought proximity to Putin while failing to strongly condemn the invasion of Ukraine. Her conclusion was that there were “significant doubts” that the idea was sound.
Adding to the critique, Michael Roth, a former chair of the Bundestag’s Foreign Affairs Committee (SPD), dismissed the proposal as a “transparent maneuver” and an “affront to the United States”. Roth argued that genuine peace efforts should begin with a ceasefire. He contended that Putin was not only setting conditions that Ukraine would struggle to accept, but was also promoting his “personal friend” as a mediator.
Roth asserted that this action did not resemble serious diplomacy-but rather an effort to simulate willingness for dialogue and ignite new instability in Europe. “A potential mediator cannot simply be Putin’s buddy” he emphasized. He concluded by stating that acceptance by Kyiv was paramount, a factor that neither Moscow nor the West could dictate.
