Former Chancellor Gerhard Schröder steps down from his position within the Russian government

German politician Jürgen Hardt, a foreign policy expert from the Christian Democratic Union (CDU), has accused Gerhard Schröder of adopting a one-sided argument in support of the Kremlin in the Navalny case. This criticism comes amidst calls for Schröder to step down from his leadership positions in Russian companies, particularly Nord Stream 2 and Gazprom.

Schröder, a former German Chancellor, has held various positions in Russia since 2016. He served as the manager of Nord Stream 2, an independent director on the board of Rosneft from 2017, and was nominated to the board of Gazprom in early February 2022, although he later declined the role amidst mounting criticism.

Hardt believes that Schröder's long-standing ties with Russian President Vladimir Putin make it difficult for him to make objective assessments about Russia. He finds it embarrassing that Schröder has not apologised for his stance in the Navalny case, and he suggests coordinating within the European Union on the share of Russian gas in the energy mix.

The focus, according to Hardt, should not be solely on pipelines like Nord Stream 2, but on the total amount of Russian gas imported. He does not consider the Nord Stream 2 project economically sensible and believes that there is too great an economic and personal closeness between Schröder and President Putin.

Schröder's involvement in Russian companies has been a point of contention, with Alexei Navalny accusing him of significantly harming German foreign policy alongside President Putin. The future of the Nord Stream 2 gas pipeline is uncertain under these circumstances, and Hardt's suggestions imply a potential reevaluation of its future.

As the situation unfolds, it remains to be seen whether Schröder will respond to these calls for his resignation and whether the European Union will take a coordinated approach towards Russian gas imports.