Putin Meets Former German Chancellor Schröder, Advisor Says Meeting Was 'Good and Friendly'

Russian President Vladimir Putin met with former German Chancellor Gerhard Schröder in a "good and friendly" one-on-one discussion, according to Putin's advisor Yuri Ushakov. Ushakov, who previously served as Russia's ambassador to the U.S., relayed the description of the meeting to the Russian state media outlet Interfax.

Putin has previously expressed a desire for Schröder to act as Europe's representative in potential future negotiations between Russia and Ukraine. However, this idea has been met with resistance, notably from Kaja Kallas, the EU's chief diplomat, who has stated that Russia should not dictate who negotiates on behalf of Europe.

Schröder's long-standing business and political connections with Russia led to significant unpopularity in Germany shortly after the conflict began. The meeting between Putin and Schröder took place against a backdrop of ongoing, albeit fragile, negotiations involving the United States, Iran, Israel, and Lebanon.

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good and friendly