Commentator Frankfurt Rundschau summarizes Schroeder’s interview in the weekly Stern: Gerhard Schroeder spoke with his friend, warlord Vladimir Putin. The good news is that the Kremlin wants to negotiate peace for Ukraine, says a politician from the Social Democratic Party. The bad news is that the former German chancellor Transform into a Putin doll. Putin invaded and destroyed a neighboring country in an attempt to conquer it completely. Schroeder takes for granted the annexation of Crimea in 2014. Oh, and the suspended Nord Stream 2 Baltic gas pipeline would be a solution to potential gas supply shortfalls. It is enough to turn it on – says Schroeder (…). The only correct solution is for Putin to end the war. definitely. That’s what Schroeder should try to do.”
The Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung reports this It would be crazy” if Schulz had followed the recommendations of his predecessor, Schroeder, who became Putin’s court jester. Donbass-style Swiss cantons solution? Nord Stream 2 kicks off as Siemens sabotages Moscow’s eagerly awaited turbine comeback? Gas supplies were not reduced at all by the Kremlin’s orders? You can start to feel sorry for this guy. Anyway, it can’t be taken seriously anymore.”
The Sueddeutsche Zeitung also notes that “Schroeder, who is fighting on the Russian side in the current economic war, is not even shy about claiming that there are no political orders from the Kremlin to reduce the flow of gas. This is supposed to be a technical and bureaucratic problem” on both sides, Thus pursuing only one goal – Increasing social pressure on the German government and his successor, Olaf Scholz.”
The regional press also commented on Gerhard Schroeder’s statements. For example, “Pforzheimer Zeitung”: “After visiting Moscow last week, Former chancellor Gerhard Schroeder believes it is possible to negotiate peace with Vladimir Putin in Ukraine. The recently completed Nord Stream 2 gas pipeline operation is considered the “simple solution” to Germany and Europe’s gas supply problems in the coming winter. Schroeder awakens people’s hope and herein lies the real danger. Because the problems of the Ukrainian conflict cannot be solved so easily. Putin is a treacherous warlord and ruthless dictator. At best, Schroeder has already convinced Putin. In the worst case – most likely – Schroeder is used by Putin.”
“Former Chancellor Gerhard Schroeder is a political fraud,” commented the Münchener Merkur newspaper. “He’s an agent of clean Putin He pretends to be an honest broker between the West and the dictator in the Kremlin. On the orders of the latter, Schroeder drives a rift in society, pitting deeply anxious German citizens against their government and deceiving them of Russia’s willingness to negotiate. Such a willingness does not exist. What Putin really wants, his disarming supporters revealed: “Russia’s borders” recently threatened Georgia and Kazakhstan with the Kremlin’s hate monger Dmitry Medvedev, “it doesn’t end anywhere.” Schroeder is engaged in a propaganda war against a country he once swore as chancellor to prevent any harm. This is unprecedented. If the SPD had a reason to expel its members, now it is on a platter. The SPD should not hesitate for too long. Otherwise, the long shadow of their former advisor will fall upon them.”
Bartosz Dodek / Deutsche Welle’s Polish editorial team
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