EU officials reject Putin's proposal to appoint Gerhard Schröder as mediator

Russian President Vladimir Putin proposed on Saturday that former German Chancellor Gerhard Schröder act as a mediator in potential peace talks regarding the conflict in Ukraine. During a meeting of European Union foreign ministers in Brussels on Monday, high-ranking EU officials rejected this proposal. EU High Representative Kaja Kallas stated that accepting a Russian-appointed mediator would be unwise and noted that Schröder has acted as a lobbyist for Russian state energy companies, including Rosneft, Gazprom, and Nord Stream AG. Günter Krichbaum, Germany's deputy minister for European affairs, argued that Schröder's close ties to Putin prevent him from acting as an impartial mediator. Estonian Foreign Minister Margus Tsahkna also dismissed the suggestion, asserting that Schröder does not represent Europe. Officials emphasized that the proposal would effectively mean Russia controlling both sides of the negotiating table. Both the European Union and Ukraine have officially dismissed the possibility of Schröder serving in this diplomatic capacity.