The Kremlin announced on Thursday that the meeting took place on Wednesday, October 7, after Putin learned that Schröder was in the Russian capital for work with the company “Globus.” Putin invited Schröder to his home, according to Reuters.

Photos shared on Telegram showed the two men shaking hands and smiling, with a traditional fireplace and a Russian samovar, used for boiling water to prepare tea, in the background.

The Kremlin stated that the president invited his “old friend” and that Schröder accompanied him during the birthday celebration.

From the Store to the President’s Residence

Schröder, who served as Germany’s chancellor from 1998 to 2005, recently joined the supervisory board of the Russian retail chain “Hyperglobus.”

On Wednesday, he visited one of its branches in Moscow, where employees greeted him with applause, according to footage aired on Russian television.

The former chancellor has faced criticism, particularly in Germany, over his ties to Russian business interests.

In May, Putin suggested that Schröder represent European nations in peace talks to resolve the war in Ukraine, but European foreign ministers rejected the idea of assigning him this role.