Who Is Gerhard Schröder And Why Does Putin Want Him To Be Mediator For Ukraine Peace Talks?

Last Updated:May 12, 2026, 17:44 IST

While Starmer has vowed to "prove his doubters wrong" and remains in office, several high-profile figures are being discussed as potential successors.

Gerhard Schröder is a former Chancellor of Germany (1998–2005) who has recently been named by Vladimir Putin as his preferred European mediator for peace talks to end the war in Ukraine.

At 82, Schröder remains a deeply controversial figure due to his lifelong friendship with Putin and his history as a high-level lobbyist for Russian state-owned energy companies.

What Putin said

Putin said on Saturday he believed the war in Ukraine was coming to an end and that he would be willing to negotiate new security arrangements for Europe, with Schroeder as his preferred partner.

But European Union foreign ministers, attending a meeting in Brussels, were sceptical that Russia was ready to end the war and negotiate sincerely on peace and security for Europe. They dismissed any role for Schroeder, who has worked for Russian state companies and cultivated a close relationship with Putin, Reuters reported.

Who is Gerhard Schröder?

He led Germany’s Social Democratic Party (SPD) and served as chancellor, focusing on labor market reforms and opposing the 2003 Iraq War.

Shortly after leaving office in 2005, he took roles in Russian-led energy projects, including chairman of the Nord Stream gas pipeline consortium and a board member of the oil giant Rosneft.

Schröder has described Putin as a “flawless democrat" and famously hugged him at a birthday celebration in 2014, shortly after the annexation of Crimea. He has faced intense criticism and even calls for expulsion from his own party for refusing to distance himself from Putin following the 2022 invasion, according to Guardian and Al Jazeera reports.

Global reaction to the mediation proposal

The suggestion, made by Putin around the May 2026 Victory Day celebrations, has been largely rejected by Western leaders:

The European Union: Top diplomat Kaja Kallas dismissed the idea, stating it is “not very wise" to let Russia choose Europe’s negotiator. She argued that with Schröder at the table, Putin’s interests would effectively be represented on both sides.

Ukraine: Officials in Kyiv have unequivocally rejected his candidacy, with some previously calling his past attempts at mediation “disgusting". Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha also rejected a role for Schroeder. But he said Europe could be involved in talks that would be “complementary" to U.S.-led negotiations to end the war. Sybiha did not go into details on what this might involve, beyond saying it could focus on “resolving concrete problems".

Germany: The German government has called the proposal a “hybrid tactic" or “fake offer" designed to create division. Germany’s Europe minister, Gunther Krichbaum, said Schroeder, who was chancellor from 1998 to 2005, did not have the credentials to be an “honest broker". “He is, and certainly has been, heavily influenced by Mr Putin," Krichbaum said.

Has EU shunned Russia since Ukraine invasion?

The EU has pursued a policy of isolating Russia since Moscow’s 2022 invasion of Ukraine. It has imposed sanctions and had few high-level political and diplomatic contacts with Russia.

But with U.S.-led talks to end the conflict making little progress as Washington focuses on the war in Iran, some European officials have urged the EU to consider direct discussions with Moscow, possibly led by a special envoy.

European Council President Antonio Costa said last week he was talking to other EU leaders “to organise ourselves and to identify what we need" to talk to Russia when “the right moment" comes.

Austrian Foreign Minister Beate Meinl-Reisinger said it was time for the EU to become more actively involved in talks with Russia and nominate a negotiating team. “But we will decide that – Russia won’t decide it," she said.

With Reuters, agency inputs

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