German Chancellor Friedrich Merz expressed outrage that former Chancellor Gerhard Schroeder attended Russian President Vladimir Putin's birthday. This was reported by Qazaqyia.kz citing Reuters.
According to Merz, Schroeder's action damages Germany's political credibility. He criticized the former chancellor's close ties with the Russian leadership.
Gerhard Schroeder served as German Chancellor from 1998 to 2005. He played a significant role in energy projects with Russia, including the Nord Stream gas pipeline.
According to Reuters, Merz described Schroeder's attendance at Putin's birthday as an "absolutely unacceptable" act.
The incident occurred amid heightened tensions between Germany and Russia. Berlin has significantly limited its ties with Moscow over Russia's war against Ukraine.
Schroeder has previously faced criticism for his close ties with Russia. He has held leadership positions in Russian state energy companies.