Germany has rejected the proposal that former Chancellor Schroeder act as a mediator between Russia and Ukraine, stating that he "has not demonstrated neutrality."

Former German Chancellor Gerhard Schröder attends an ecumenical service marking the anniversary of German reunification at St. Michael's Church in Hamburg, Germany, on Tuesday, October 3, 2023. Gregor Fischer/Pool via REUTERS. German authorities have rejected the possibility of former German Chancellor Gerhard Schröder acting as an international mediator to resolve the stalled peace talks on Ukraine, following Russian President Vladimir Putin's suggestion that Schröder could facilitate dialogue, citing his close ties to Russia and emphasizing that any mediator must be accepted by all parties. "The former chancellor has not exactly demonstrated everything necessary to act here as a neutral mediator, a kind of 'honest broker.' He has been and has clearly been influenced by Putin," said German Minister for European Affairs, Gunther Krichbaum, in statements from Brussels when asked about the proposal made by the Russian leader for the former Social Democratic Chancellor to act as a mediator. In this regard, Krichbaum alluded to Schröder's closeness to Putin. "Close friendships may be legitimate anywhere in the world, but they do not contribute to someone being perceived as an impartial and unbiased mediator," he said, emphasizing that any figure acting as a facilitator of dialogue must be accepted by Kyiv. "Above all, it is important that a mediator can be accepted by both sides," the German conservative politician emphasized. A photo shows former German Chancellor Gerhard Schröder and Russian President Vladimir Putin appearing to kiss each other at the East Side Gallery in Berlin, Germany, on April 2, 2022. The inscription, in German and Russian, reads: "Oh my God, help me survive this love." The photo was taken during an artistic campaign on April 2, 2022. REUTERS/Anne Barth/Archive photo. Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andri Sibiga dismissed the proposal made by the Russian President to appoint the former German Chancellor as an intermediary in peace talks, which continue without offering significant progress. "No, we do not support that candidate. We do not support it, of course. There are many other good leaders in Europe," Sibiga reacted to the proposal of Schröder as an international intermediary, before meeting on Monday with his counterparts from the EU, in Brussels. Sibiga's statements follow those of the EU High Representative for Foreign Policy, Kaja Kallas, who also rejected the idea that the former German Chancellor was the most suitable person to carry out this task, as he has been "a high-level lobbyist for Russian state-owned companies." "If we give Russia the right to nominate a negotiator on our behalf, that would not be very smart, as you can imagine," Kallas said. The EU High Representative for Foreign Policy, Kaja Kallas. The head of Ukrainian diplomacy also highlighted the role of Europe in the peace negotiations, a role that is "complementary," he explained, to the work already being done by the United States. "We have the main peace talks led by the United States, we need this path, we need the leadership of the United States, but Europe could also play a role, a new role (...) We are not talking about alternative peace talks, but about a complementary path," he said. Sibiga also emphasized that recent events in Europe, particularly the results of the "historic" elections in Hungary, have projected a series of new dynamics that could accelerate Ukraine's aspirations for European integration. Schröder, German Chancellor from 1998 to 2005, solidified Russia's energy dependence during his tenure and has maintained ties with Russian companies for years, making him a controversial figure in his own country. In 2022, amid controversy over the invasion of Ukraine, he yielded to pressure and resigned from the board of the Russian gas giant Gazprom. Schröder was German Chancellor from 1998 to 2005. In the same year, the Bundestag took the step of removing some of the privileges derived from his previous position, while within his own party, the German Social Democratic Party (SPD), there have been calls for his expulsion, although these never materialized. (with information from EP)