Spiegel: SPD members open to discussing Schröder as EU mediator with Russia

A number of MPs from Germany's ruling Social Democratic Party (SPD) are open to discussing Vladimir Putin's proposal to appoint former chancellor Gerhard Schröder as EU mediator in Russia's war against Ukraine.

Source: SPD figures speaking to Spiegel and Tagesspiegel

What SPD figures said

Adis Ahmetović, the SPD parliamentary group's foreign-policy spokesman, said Putin's proposal "deserves serious consideration".

"It cannot be that only the United States and Russia decide the future of Ukraine and European security on their own. Our goal must be to be at the negotiating table. If one of the conditions is the involvement of former chancellor Schröder, this should be considered carefully, in close consultation with our European partners, rather than rejected outright," Ahmetović said.

SPD MP Ralf Stegner added: "I welcome any initiative that could help end the war. If this can be achieved through someone like Schröder, it would be wrong to dismiss it." He stressed that nothing can be agreed without Ukraine's consent.

Former parliamentary group leader Rolf Mützenich was more cautious, calling it "strange that a mediator would be appointed by one of the warring sides", but said anyone who does not want to leave the question to Putin and Trump must look for ways to bring the EU into the talks.

Michael Roth, former chair of the parliament's foreign-affairs committee, was sharply critical: "This does not look like a serious diplomatic offer, but rather an attempt to feign willingness to talk and to sow a new rift in Europe." A mediator, he said, "cannot be a friend of Putin", and any candidate must also be acceptable to Ukraine.

Context

On 9 May, Putin said he considered Schröder the best candidate to mediate between the European Union and Russia. Schröder's office said he did not wish to comment.

Gerhard Schröder, 82, served as German chancellor from 1998 to 2005 and led the SPD from 1999 to 2004. He has been criticised for years over his ties to Russia and his work for Russian energy companies. After Russia's full-scale invasion he did not distance himself from the Kremlin; in January 2026 he called for restoring energy cooperation with Russia.