Security expert: Ex-Chancellor Schröder's visit to Putin's birthday a 'global embarrassment' for Germany
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Security expert Nico Lange has sharply criticized former German Chancellor Gerhard Schröder for attending Russian President Vladimir Putin's birthday celebration, calling it a 'global embarrassment' and a 'disgrace.' Lange stated that Schröder is putting on a show while civilians are being killed in Ukraine, and argued that the visit damages Germany's international reputation. The article, published by Die Welt on October 9, 2026, reports Lange's strong condemnation of Schröder's continued proximity to the Kremlin leadership amid the ongoing war in Ukraine. The visit is portrayed as a significant reputational blow to Germany, with Lange emphasizing the moral and political inappropriateness of the act given the context of Russian military actions in Ukraine.
Source report
Security expert Nico Lange has described former German Chancellor Gerhard Schröder's visit to Kremlin leader Vladimir Putin's birthday celebration as a "global embarrassment."
"It is a disgrace that he is putting on this show while civilians are being killed in Ukraine," Lange said.
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Ex-German Chancellor Schröder attends Putin's birthday, sparking outrage in Germany