The Kremlin has released photos of Russian President Vladimir Putin and former German Chancellor Gerhard Schröder from their meeting on October 7, when Putin turned 74. The photos were posted on the Kremlin's official profile on the Russian messenger “Max“.
The photos show the two men shaking hands in front of a Russian stove. According to the Kremlin press release, Putin learned from the media that Schröder was in Moscow on business and invited him to his home.
“The president invited his old friend to his home“, the Kremlin press release reported.TASS also cited information that Schröder was with the Russian president during his birthday celebration. The agency specified that the photos were published by the Kremlin press service.
Working visit to Moscow
The former German chancellor arrived in the Russian capital in connection with the activities of the company “Globus“. Company representatives described his meeting with employees and management as a working one.
Earlier in October, Schroeder joined the supervisory board of the Russian company “Hyperglobus“, which manages the activities of the “Globus“ chain in Russia. According to information cited by TASS, he is to participate in the strategic development of the company.
His visit to Moscow coincided with Putin's birthday. The Kremlin presented the meeting as a personal invitation to a long-time acquaintance after the Russian president learned from media reports about his presence in the city.
Long-standing relations
Putin and Schröder have maintained close relations since the time when the German was Chancellor of Germany between 1998 and 2005. After the end of his term, Schröder maintained his business ties with Russia.
In June 2026, Putin said that the former German Chancellor was a person who could be trusted. At that time, the Russian president also pointed to him as a possible mediator from Europe on issues surrounding the settlement of the Ukrainian conflict.
Sources: tass.ru