Europe cannot do without Russia, says former German Chancellor Gerhard Schröder. He wants peace in Ukraine as soon as possible.
Former German Chancellor Gerhard Schröder does not believe the massive economic sanctions against Russia are sustainable in the long term. A country like Russia cannot be “isolated” in the long term, either politically or economically, Schröder said in an interview with the New York Times published on Saturday.
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German industry needs raw materials from Russia, and not just oil and gas, but also rare earths. These metals are used in many high-tech products.
Schröder distanced himself from the Russian invasion of Ukraine: This war was “a mistake”, he always said. On the killings of numerous civilians in Bucha, for which Russian soldiers are held responsible, he said this should be “investigated”.
He denies the blame to his friend Putin. He doesn’t think the instructions relevant to the massacre came from the Kremlin head.
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The former chancellor also returned to offer his brokerage services. A peaceful solution must be found as soon as possible. He does what he can and “at least one side” trusts him, he stressed, referring to his close ties to the Kremlin.
The German politician also apparently hopes that relations with Moscow will resume soon after the war ends. Schröder warned that peace and prosperity in Germany and Europe would always depend on dialogue with Russia.
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Browsing account rcp time 2022.04.24, 13:33| Act: 04/24/2022, 1:55 pm