[Reichhardt]

European leaders are bought and paid for. The ex-chancellor of Germany is on the board of Rosneft:

https://www.reuters.com/article/us-russia-rosneft-board/russ...

The same Chancellor who initiated the German nuclear phaseout, thus embedding European reliance on Russian gas.

[raxxorrax]

His ties are questionable but they would actually be useful instead of the hotshot idiots now putting their weight into the dialogue. At that time the relations to Russia were far better and it would be desirable if they return to that. Especially for safety concerns. But after 9-11 Russia had to be tamed in the context of the war on terror. The connections of Schröder predate that.