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Putin rejects EU mediation
Russian President Vladimir Putin ruled out European mediation in peace talks over Ukraine and said the EU must persuade Ukraine to make concessions, speaking during a meeting with foreign journalists in St Petersburg.
“01:21 01:23 01:08 02:21 01:12 04:27 03:00 01:08 24:32 20 Minutes Published May 11, 2026 at 5:25 PM • Updated May 13, 2026 at 8:53 AM Even though peace prospects do not seem imminent, Russians and Europeans are discussing how to find a mediator, a man or a woman, who when the time comes could bring them to the table to end the war that is raging in the East”
Putin said, "How can the European Union or individual EU countries act as mediators if they are directly aiding a country with which we are in armed conflict? Mediation requires neutrality," and he added that Europe’s role is to persuade Kyiv to agree to compromises rather than participate in negotiations.
In the same remarks, Putin said former German Chancellor Gerhard Schröder could be one of Europe’s possible representatives in potential negotiations, describing Schröder as "a German statesman, one of the best, in his opinion".
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, meanwhile, called on Putin to hold a direct meeting and proposed setting a specific date for negotiations involving both European countries and the United States.
Germany splits over Schröder
Germany’s political debate over Putin’s proposal to use Gerhard Schröder as a mediator has split the SPD, with officials and party voices offering conflicting assessments of credibility and neutrality.
Michael Roth, ex president of the SPD foreign affairs committee in the Bundestag, said in an interview with Tagesspiegel that a mediator between Russia and the EU "non puo' semplicemente essere un amico di Putin".
Adis Ahmetović, SPD spokesperson for foreign affairs in the Bundestag, said in an interview with Spiegel that the proposal "deve essere attentamente valutata in stretta consultazione con i nostri partner europei" and should not be categorically excluded from the outset.
The Le Monde report, with AFP, described Berlin’s view that Putin’s statements fit a pattern of "Russian false overtures" and said a first test of credibility would be whether Russia extends the truce.
Europe rejects, talks loom
European officials rejected the idea of Schröder representing Europe in future talks with Moscow, with Brussels framing the proposal as incompatible with impartial mediation.
“AGI - L'iniziativa del presidente russo Vladimir Putin di proporre il suo amico ed ex cancelliere tedescoGerhard Schroedercome mediatore nella guerra in Ucraina ha suscitato reazioni politiche contrastanti in Germania”
In Brussels, European diplomacy chief Kaja Kallas rejected the suggestion and said, "Schröder has not exactly done everything he needed in the past to be able to act as a neutral mediator," adding that close friendships do not help him be perceived as impartial.
The Le Figaro account described Putin’s remark on the sidelines of the May 9 parade commemorating the Soviet victory over Nazi Germany, quoting Putin: "Among all European political leaders, I would prefer to have discussions with Schröder."
While the proposal was rejected by European diplomacy, the same Le Monde report said other SPD members argued the initiative should be weighed with European partners and that Ralf Stegner said, "we must seize every chance, even if it is tiny."
