Former German Chancellor Schroeder celebrates Putin's birthday at president's home

Gerhard Schroeder's privileges as a former German head of government have been withdrawn. (EPA Images pic) MOSCOW: Former German chancellor Gerhard Schroeder went to Vladimir Putin's home on the Russian president's 74th birthday, the Kremlin said Thursday.

Schroeder, 82, has been criticised and sanctioned for maintaining his close ties to the Russian leader after the war with Ukraine started.

"Yesterday morning, Mr Putin found out from the media that Gerhard Schroeder was in Moscow on business. The president invited his old friend to join him," the Kremlin said on Telegram.

Photos showing the two men shaking hands were released by the Kremlin. Wednesday was Putin's 74th birthday.

Russian media reported last week that Schroeder had been appointed to the supervisory board of Russian supermarket group Hyperglobus that once belonged to German group Globus.

Schroeder's ties to Putin have caused concern in Germany, which has tense relations with Russia because of the Ukraine conflict. He has had his privileges as a former German head of government withdrawn.

After leading Germany from 1998 to 2005, Schroeder was on the board of Russian energy giant Gazprom.

In May, Putin suggested that Schroeder should be a mediator in the Ukraine conflict. European nations rejected the idea.