Former German Chancellor Gerhard Schröder, known for his friendship with Vladimir Putin, is the "preferred" candidate for the Russian president from the European Union in negotiations to end the war between Russia and Ukraine.
Putin himself announced this at a press conference with journalists from the Kremlin pool.
Among other topics, the meeting addressed the potential involvement of the EU in negotiations to end the war in Ukraine. One of the journalists asked whether, in Putin's opinion, there are politicians in Western Europe with whom he could engage in dialogue.
"For me personally, the former Chancellor of Germany, Mr. Schröder, is preferable," the President of Russia answered this question.
Following this, Vladimir Putin stated that Russia is open to dialogue, but Europe must choose a negotiator who has not said "any nasty things about us." According to Putin, Russia has "always" spoken to the EU with respect.
Putin is now ready to meet with Zelensky only in Moscow
Among other things, Putin reiterated that he does not refuse to meet with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky in a third country. However, according to the President of Russia, "final agreements must be reached that will be aimed at a long-term historical perspective."
At the same time, official negotiations between Russia and Ukraine are not being conducted - this was confirmed by the head of the Russian Foreign Ministry, Sergey Lavrov, in mid-April.
According to Putin, Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico conveyed during their meeting in Moscow that Volodymyr Zelensky is ready for a meeting at the level of country leaders. "We have never refused this; whoever wants to meet - let them come to Moscow," the head of the Kremlin stated on this matter.
WSJ: Putin personally selected convenient negotiators for himself in the US
In December 2025, the American newspaper The Wall Street Journal published an article stating that Putin personally lobbied for the candidacy of Steve Whitcoff as a negotiator on Ukraine from the administration of US President Donald Trump.
According to the WSJ, the reasons why Whitcoff "appealed" to the Kremlin were that he is more of a businessman than a politician and does not always adhere to the security protocols of intelligence agencies. Later, Putin was able to convince Whitcoff to meet without the accompaniment of CIA staff, diplomats, and even an interpreter, writes "Deutsche Welle."
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