EU’s Kallas rejects Gerhard Schröder as Russia-Ukraine negotiator
politico.eu • • general
Key Points:
- EU chief diplomat Kaja Kallas stated that former German Chancellor Gerhard Schröder is unfit to represent Europe in peace talks to end the Russia-Ukraine war, criticizing his close ties to Russian state-owned energy companies.
- Russian President Vladimir Putin suggested Schröder could represent European countries in peace negotiations, a proposal Kallas dismissed as unwise and biased.
- The U.S. has been the primary mediator in the Russia-Ukraine conflict, but some European leaders, including Germany’s Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul, have called for Europe to take a more active role through the E3 group (Germany, France, U.K.).
- Kallas emphasized that Moscow must make concessions, such as withdrawing Russian troops from Moldova, before Europe could consider engaging directly in talks with Putin.
- She highlighted ongoing Russian aggression against neighbors as a core security issue, underscoring the need for Russian concessions to achieve regional stability.