Former German Chancellor Gerhard Schröder, 82, who has faced widespread criticism for his pro-Russian stance since the outbreak of the war in Ukraine, has been appointed as a board member of a Russian retail company, according to dpa and other foreign media outlets on October 2 (local time).

Schröder joined the board of directors of Hyperglobus, a Russian supermarket chain, on September 30.

The company was originally under the German retail group Globus and was separated in January of last year.

Schröder, who served as German Chancellor from 1998 to 2005, maintains a personal friendship with Russian President Vladimir Putin and previously served as the chairman of the board of directors of the Russian state-owned oil company Rosneft after stepping down from office.

He faced fierce criticism for maintaining business ties with Russian companies even after the outbreak of the war in Ukraine, and his party, the Social Democratic Party (SPD), attempted to expel him before eventually withdrawing the move.

In May, President Putin stated that he is willing to discuss security frameworks with European sides and that "among all European politicians, I prefer talking with former German Chancellor Schröder."

This sparked a debate in European political circles for a while over whether Schröder could be sent as a European representative for negotiations.

Interpretations have also emerged suggesting that Schröder's joining of the board may be related to the Russian government's recent seizure of Western corporate assets.

The Russian government recently placed the Russian subsidiaries of Swiss food company Nestlé, French retailer Auchan, and German retailer Metro under the temporary management of other local firms.

While Kremlin Spokesperson Dmitry Peskov stated that "the purpose is not to change the owners," the West suspects that President Putin may be seizing Western companies and distributing them to his close associates.

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