On 9 October 2026, Vladimir Putin marked his 74th birthday with a visit from former German Chancellor Gerhard Schröder. The meeting took place in Moscow, where Schröder was in the city for business connected to the Globus Holding subsidiary Hyperglobus. The Kremlin confirmed that the two men met, but no details of their conversation were released, leaving it unclear whether the discussion touched on political matters or remained personal.
Three days later, on 15 October 2026, the Russian government released a statement on Telegram explaining how the encounter came to be. According to the message, Putin learned of Schröder’s presence in the Russian capital through media reports on a Wednesday morning. The statement said, "Der Präsident lud seinen alten Freund zu sich nach Hause ein," indicating that the president invited his old friend to his home. This account shows that the meeting was arranged after Putin became aware of the former chancellor’s visit via press coverage.
The gathering quickly reignited controversy in Germany. Critics pointed out that Schröder’s continued professional and personal relationships with Russia have drawn sharp criticism since the start of the full‑scale invasion of Ukraine. In the German public sphere, his new role with a Russian company was denounced as a "betrayal of Europe."
This account shows that the meeting was arranged after Putin became aware of the former chancellor’s visit via press coverage.
Among the specific allegations circulating in the German media was the claim that Gerhard Schröder serves on the supervisory board of Hyperglobus, the Globus Holding subsidiary whose business brought him to Moscow.
A separate claim that appeared in the same discussion was that Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi had announced a new policy.
As of the information provided, the substance of the October 9 conversation remains undisclosed. The Kremlin’s description of the meeting as a personal invitation from Putin to an old friend stands in contrast to the German criticism that frames the encounter as a continuation of problematic ties.