Dzhabarov attributes Merz's criticism of Schroeder visit to personal hostility

Russian senator Vladimir Dzhabarov commented on Friedrich Merz's criticism of Gerhard Schroeder's meeting with Vladimir Putin, 5-tv.ru reported. He attributed the German chancellor's response to envy.

Speaking to Lenta.ru, the deputy chair of the Federation Council's international affairs committee suggested Merz would not be invited to Moscow and would lose influence after leaving office. He also accused the chancellor of promoting neo-Nazi ideas. These are the senator's political assertions, rather than established facts.

Dzhabarov linked Putin and Schroeder's relationship to a period of close economic cooperation between Russia and Germany. In his view, Russian energy supplies supported German economic development and its position within the European Union.

Merz had said he was shocked by Schroeder's birthday visit to the Russian president and described it as immoral. The Kremlin published photographs of Putin and the former chancellor at the celebration.