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Former German Chancellor Schröder’s close ties to the Russian energy sector and President Putin are damaging to Germany. That says Federal President Steinmeier to Bild am Sonntag.
“Our Eastern European neighbors in particular are questioning Schröder’s commitment to Russian energy companies,” Steinmeier said in the interview. According to him, this not only damages Schröder’s reputation, but also that of the entire country.
No congratulations
Steinmeier and Schröder are party members in the Social Democratic SPD and have worked closely together for years, but according to the Federal President, that bond has been broken. “Since 17 years I have been going my own political path, without him. During that time, Gerhard Schröder made personal decisions that drove us apart.”
Last month, Schröder announced that he will step down as chairman of the supervisory board of Russian state oil group Rosneft, but will retain his positions at major gas pipeline projects Nord Stream and Nord Stream 2.
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