Gerhard Schroeder snubbed by Berlin after Putin meeting
The German government distanced itself from former chancellor Gerhard Schroeder amid media criticism after pictures were published showing him embracing Russian President Vladimir Putin in St Petersburg.
The German government distanced itself from former chancellor Gerhard Schroeder amid media criticism after pictures were published showing him embracing Russian President Vladimir Putin in St Petersburg.
The pictures come at a time of high tension between the West and Russia over Ukraine and also underscore German ambivalence about imposing new sanctions on Moscow, despite Chancellor Angela Merkel's criticism of Putin's actions in the crisis.
A spokesman for Schroeder confirmed on Tuesday that he was in Russia's second city a day earlier for a shareholders' meeting of Nord Stream, the Russian-German pipeline joint venture he chairs. But spokesman Albrecht Funk would not say why Schroeder met Putin.
German media reports said the grainy pictures of Schroeder locked in a bear hug with Putin were taken late on Monday evening outside the Yusupov Palace, where he was attending a belated celebration in honour of his 70th birthday on April 7.
"He does not represent the German government," a senior German government official said when asked about the pictures. "It should be clear to everyone that Mr Schroeder left active politics some time ago."