Putin holds friendly meeting with Gerhard Schroederfriendly meeting with Gerhard Schroeder
Russian President Vladimir Putin held a one-on-one meeting with former German Chancellor Gerhard Schroeder in St. Petersburg, the Kremlin said on June 5.
The talks came as Putin said he saw no point in meeting Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky and told the army to keep working, underscoring that diplomacy on the war remains stalled.
Kremlin
The Kremlin described Putin’s meeting with Schroeder as good and friendly, presenting it as a normal exchange with a longtime Western political figure. In the same period, Putin signaled that he does not see value in direct talks with Zelensky.
Ukrainian Perspective
Ukraine is likely to view the refusal to meet Zelensky as evidence that Moscow is not ready for meaningful negotiations. The message may be read in Kyiv as another sign that Russia intends to continue the war rather than search for a settlement.
- Schroeder was one of the few major Western leaders to maintain close personal ties with Putin after leaving office.
- St. Petersburg was once the Russian imperial capital and remains a major diplomatic and cultural hub.
- Putin and Schroeder’s relationship has long drawn attention in Europe because of energy and business links.
Russia-Ukraine War
Russia and Ukraine are locked in an retaliatory long-range drone and missile war that now strikes deep into both countries, including Moscow, St. Petersburg, Crimea, and major Ukrainian cities like Kyiv and Dnipro. Ukrainian forces launched one of their largest drone attacks on June 26, striking 12 Russian regions and hitting key energy targets, while Russia continues massive retaliatory bombardments that kill civilians and destroy infrastructure.
26 June, 09:41 AM
Ukraine unleashes massive drone bombardment on 12 Russian regions24 June, 10:31 AM
Ukrainian drones knock out power in Russian-held Sevastopol22 June, 03:20 PM
Ukraine strikes Russian missile electronics plant in Voronezh
