Former German Chancellor Celebrated Putin's Birthday with Him
Russian dictator Vladimir Putin celebrated his 74th birthday with former German Chancellor Gerhard Schröder. According to the Kremlin, Putin invited Schröder to his home after learning that he was in Moscow. The Kremlin referred to Schröder as a “longtime friend” of Putin. The former German chancellor traveled to the Russian capital on business for the company “Globus.”
Vladimir Putin celebrated his 74th birthday on October 7. The next day, the Kremlin announced that former German Chancellor Gerhard Schröder was among the dictator’s guests. According to the Russian president’s press service, Putin had learned from media reports the day before that Schröder was in Moscow. He then invited him to his home.
The Kremlin attributed this to the long-standing relationship between the two politicians. “Vladimir Putin learned from media reports the morning before that Gerhard Schröder was in Moscow, having arrived on business for the company ‘Globus.’ The president invited his longtime friend to his home,” according to a statement from the Kremlin press service. The Kremlin also released a photo from the meeting. It shows Putin and Schröder talking during a private meeting. According to the Russian side, Schröder was with Putin during the Russian dictator’s birthday celebration.
Why Schröder came to Moscow
Gerhard Schröder arrived in Moscow on business for the “Globus” company. This refers to a German supermarket chain operating in Russia. It was previously reported that the former German chancellor visited one of the chain’s Moscow hypermarkets. According to the Kremlin, it was precisely his visit to the Russian capital that served as the reason for the invitation to meet with Putin.
Schröder led the German government from 1998 to 2005. After ending his political career, he maintained close ties with Russia and Putin. His long-standing contacts with the Russian leadership have repeatedly been the subject of criticism in Germany. In particular, after serving as chancellor, Schröder held executive positions at Russian energy companies.
Who Else Congratulated Putin
On October 7, Putin turned 74. Several foreign politicians sent birthday greetings to the Russian leader. Among them were Belarus’s self-proclaimed president, Alexander Lukashenko; North Korean leader Kim Jong-un; and Chinese President Xi Jinping.
The Kremlin traditionally paid significant attention to international congratulations for Putin. At the same time, the meeting with Schröder took place directly in Moscow. Thus, the former German chancellor became one of the guests with whom Putin spent his birthday this year.
