Geburtstagsfeier: „Schande“ – Massive Kritik am Putin-Besuch von Schröder
Auf seiner jüngsten Russland-Reise besuchte Alt-Kanzler Schröder seinen Freund Putin. Anlass: der 74. Geburtstag des Kreml-Chefs. Reaktionen aus der Heimat lassen nicht lange auf sich warten.
Former German Chancellor Gerhard Schröder faced significant criticism following his attendance at the 74th birthday celebration of Russian President Vladimir Putin in Moscow. Green politician Katrin Göring-Eckardt and the Chair of the European Parliament's Defense Committee, Marie-Agnes Strack-Zimmermann (FDP), called the visit a "shame" and a "betrayal to Europe."
Schröder, who served as Chancellor from 1998 to 2005, is known for his close relationship with Putin and his support for Russian energy companies. Despite repeated meetings with Putin since the beginning of Russia's war against Ukraine, Schröder has been accused of being "sick enough for a Moscow visit" but not for facing an investigation, with some comparing him to "Rasputin."
Schröder's presence at the Kremlin had been announced through Telegram, where photos showed the two leaders shaking hands. Schröder had visited a Russian subsidiary of the German supermarket chain Globus the day before the birthday party. Putin had invited Schröder as a mediator in the conflict between Russia and Ukraine, a proposal that was met with skepticism in the German government.
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