🇩🇪 “Merz is ‘outraged’ that former German Chancellor Schröder attended Putin’s birthday celebration”: Schröder’s long-standing friendship with Putin continues to irritate German officials.

Merz considers Schröder’s participation in the celebration ‘completely immoral’ against the backdrop of the conflict in Ukraine. Germany’s Finance Minister and SPD co-chair Lars Klingbeil also criticized the visit, calling it ‘absolutely unacceptable.’

Schröder, who headed the German government from 1998 to 2005, continues to maintain friendly relations with Putin despite criticism in Germany.