The former German Chancellor Gerhard Schröder cannot represent the European Union in negotiations aimed at ending Russia’s war against Ukraine.
Source: Gazeta.UA
This was stated by the EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Kaja Kallas ahead of the EU Foreign Affairs Council meeting on May 11, according to European Pravda.
According to Kallas, Schröder is effectively a lobbyist for Russian state companies, which makes his candidacy unacceptable as an EU negotiator.
“I think Gerhard Schröder was a lobbyist, a high-level lobbyist for Russian state companies. So it is clear why Vladimir Putin wants it to be this particular person — so that he essentially sits on both sides of the table,” the EU’s top diplomat said.
Kallas also stressed that the EU should not allow Russia to influence the selection of European representatives for the negotiation process.
She noted that the ceasefire announced by the Kremlin was used by Russia purely for its own interests.
“Everyone saw that the ceasefire Vladimir Putin wanted was only a very cynical move to protect his parade, while Russian forces continued attacking civilians in Ukraine,” Kallas said.
In her view, agreeing to a candidate effectively promoted by the Kremlin would be a mistake for the European Union.