Former German Chancellor Gerhard Schroeder, criticized for being close to the Kremlin and working in Russian state concerns, confirmed that he met with Russian President Vladimir Putin again at the end of July.. He said that Putin would like to "

Schroeder also stressed that he considers the first success in the process of peaceful settlement of the conclusion of the "

“Perhaps this could be slowly expanded into a ceasefire,” he said..

At the same time, the former chancellor emphasized the special responsibility that Berlin and Paris bear, noting that at present their actions are insufficient to end the war..

Schroeder also praised the steps taken by Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan. In addition to the grain deal, the ex-chancellor also recalled the talks in Turkey between the Russian and Ukrainian delegations in March.

According to Schroeder, the main question is whether there is a desire to end the war. In his opinion, there should be concessions from both sides..

“And it would be a big mistake to humiliate Ukraine’s possible concessions as a “Russian-dictated peace,” Schroeder said..

Schroeder, who is also described in the media as a longtime friend of the head of the Kremlin, called the Russian invasion of Ukraine a “mistake of the Russian government”, but again refused to cut off his personal relationship with Putin..

Also, according to Schroeder, Angela Merkel and Steinmeier made a “wise decision” at the NATO summit in 2008 regarding the refusal of Ukraine to join the Alliance..

Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov confirmed that Putin personally met with Schroeder in Moscow. According to Peskov, Schroeder expressed concern about the energy crisis flaring up in Europe.. The Kremlin also reported that the ex-Chancellor of Germany did not express a desire to become an intermediary in resolving the situation in Ukraine or the gas problem..

In addition, Peskov said that Schroeder asked Putin at the meeting if Nord Stream 2 could be used to supply gas to Europe in the current situation..

The Kremlin has a recording of the conversation between Putin and Schroeder in case someone "

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In early March, a few days after the Russian invasion of Ukraine, Schroeder came to Moscow and talked with the head of the Kremlin about the war. After that, the ex-Chancellor of Germany said that the Russian Federation was interested in a negotiated solution..

Since the beginning of the war in Germany, criticism of Schroeder has sharply intensified..

In particular, several of his employees resigned in protest against his position, and in May the ruling coalition deprived Schroeder of an office in the Bundestag, which was supposed to be for him for life and financed from the state budget..

Also in the Social Democratic Party of Germany against the ex-chancellor, a procedure for deprivation of membership is being carried out.. In the party, even his former closest associates distanced themselves from Schroeder, including the German federal president Frank-Walter Steinmeier..