EU's Kallas rejects Putin proposal for Schröder as Ukraine mediator

European Union top diplomat Kaja Kallas has rejected a proposal by Russian President Vladimir Putin to make former German chancellor Gerhard Schröder a possible European mediator in talks to bring the Ukraine war to an end.

"If we'd give the right to Russia to appoint a negotiator on our behalf, you know, that would not be very wise," Kallas said on Monday, as she arrived at a meeting of EU foreign ministers in Brussels.

Kallas said Schröder has been a "high-level lobbyist for Russian state-owned companies."

Appointing Schröder as a mediator would mean that Putin "would be sitting on both sides of the table," she said.

On Saturday, Putin said: "Of all European politicians, I would prefer talks with Schröder." The Russian leader also said he thought the war was tending towards an end.

In response to a question from dpa, Schröder's office said the former chancellor, regarded by many in Germany as disgraced because of his ongoing ties to Putin, would not comment.

Putin emphasized that a peaceful solution to the long-running conflict was for Ukraine and Russia to find. "But if someone would like to help, we would be grateful," he said.

Schröder, 82, a centre-left politician who served as German chancellor between 1998 and 2005, has been a controversial figure for years because of his friendship with Putin and his role in Russian energy firms.

Schröder took up a significant role in Russian energy companies directly after leaving German politics.