German retailer Globus stayed in Russia after the full-scale invasion. Now its Russian arm has put former German Chancellor Gerhard Schröder on its supervisory board.

Former German Chancellor Gerhard Schröder has joined the supervisory board of Giperglobus LLC, the entity that operates the Globus hypermarket chain in Russia. His appointment was announced by a spokesperson for the chain to RBC. Thomas Bruch, owner of Giperglobus, explained that Schröder's expertise in Russian political and economic affairs would allow the company to benefit from his extensive experience.

The former chancellor will aid the company in maintaining a dialogue-focused approach and finding constructive solutions in the current situation. Globus has remained one of the few foreign retailers to continue operating in Russia since the country's full-scale invasion of Ukraine began. Currently, Giperglobus finances its operations with its own funds and shares a brand with the German chain.

The company operates 22 stores in eight regions. Other retailers, such as Metro Cash & Carry, Auchan, and Lemana PRO, have also maintained their operations in Russia, but in September, Russian President Vladimir Putin signed decrees placing the legal entities of these businesses under temporary management. Despite his previous relationship with Putin, Schröder maintained contact with him and visited Russia multiple times during the invasion.

In July 2022, he met with Putin in Moscow, stating that a rift between them was impossible. In May 2026, Putin referred to Schröder as his "preferred" mediator for negotiations between Russia and Ukraine; however, Europe refused to allow the Kremlin to choose its own representative. In June 2026, the Kremlin reiterated that the two had met, but provided no details about their conversation.

This account, written by a Meduza journalist, has been translated from Russian using an AI model adhering to strict editorial standards, with every draft reviewed by a Meduza editor before publication.