The meeting on the president's 74th birthday drew condemnation from German Chancellor Merz, who called the visit "immoral" and "shocking," while CDU representative Kiesewetter termed it a "betrayal of Europe." The visit coincided with a Russian mass strike in Ukraine that killed at least 32 people, an act Ukrainian President Zelensky labeled as Putin's birthday present to himself. SPD's Stegner defended the encounter, arguing Schröder's access to the Kremlin could potentially advance peace efforts.
Wednesday, October 21, 2026
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Former Chancellor Schröder Visits Putin for 74th Birthday and Faces German Outrage
Geopolitics12 days ago
Gerhard Schröder traveled to the Russian capital on October 7 to join Vladimir Putin for a private dinner at the president's residence. The Kremlin stated that Putin invited the former German chancellor after seeing reports that Schröder was in the city for business. Schröder, who serves on the supervisory board of the supermarket chain Hyperglobus, was visiting to support the company's operations in Russia.
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