German politicians demand that German Foreign Minister explain his dinner with Putin
Alliance 90/The Greens is asking the head of the Foreign Ministry of the Federal Republic of Germany, Sigmar Gabriel, to explain the dinner with Russian President Vladimir Putin and former German Chancellor Gerhard Schröder, who is supposed to join the supervisory board of Rosneft.
Gabriel was asked to respond before the September elections to the Bundestag, reports DW.
"The Foreign Minister should dispel suspicions that Schröder is trying to use him to promote the interests of Putin and Rosneft. This would be an unheard of affront for the European Union and a serious problem for Germany," said Katrin Göring-Eckardt, co-chair of the Greens faction in the parliament.
She added that Gabriel would have to explain what topics he discussed with Putin during dinner.
"This is by no means a private matter when Schröder, being a lobbyist for Gazprom and a candidate for the Supervisory Board of Rosneft, organizes Gabriel's many-hour meeting with the Russian head of state. Gabriel should reveal what topics he discussed at this meeting," the politician stressed.
The Greens want to find out whether Rosneft's interests, the Nord Stream-2 gas pipeline and easing the EU's sanctions against Russia were discussed during the dinner, and a corresponding written request has already been sent to the government of Germany.
It was previously reported that the Russian government has nominated Schröder to Rosneft’s supervisory board. His candidacy for the post of one of the independent directors of the company should be approved at the end of September. As a Rosneft director, the former Chancellor would earn more than 550,000 dollars a year.
Gerhard Schroeder was Chancellor of Germany from 1998 to 2005. In October of last year he headed the board of directors of Nord Stream-2.