Former German chancellor Gerhard Schroeder arrived in Moscow to meet with Russian President Vladimir Putin as part of a negotiating effort aimed at ending the war in Ukraine..

Politico writes about this, citing its own sources.. Schroeder has faced intense criticism at home and abroad for refusing to sever close ties with Moscow following Putin's invasion of Ukraine.. Even several of his subordinates quit last week after the ex-chancellor decided to keep his positions at Gazprom and Rosneft, linked to the Kremlin..

The publication recalls that Schroeder was Chancellor of Germany from the Social Democratic Party from 1998 to 2005..

After completing his tenure as head of government, he built a lucrative career in the Russian energy sector. Schroeder flew to Moscow immediately after a conversation in Istanbul "

“Ukraine wants to see if Schroeder can build a bridge for dialogue with Putin,” an unnamed informed source said..

Last week, Ukrainian Ambassador to Germany Andriy Melnik admitted that Schroeder might try to act as an intermediary between Moscow and Kiev.. The German government said they did not know anything about the initiative of the ex-chancellor.