Former Chancellor Gerhard Schröder, who has been the subject of criticism, is stepping down from his position on the board of directors of the Russian gas company Gazprom. He canceled in writing weeks ago. Schröder was proposed as a new member of the committee in February.

At the general meeting on June 30, the composition of the eleven-seat supervisory board should actually be decided. The SPD politician is accused of having close ties to Russia, and the party leadership has asked him to leave the SPD. Schröder is a personal friend of Russian President Vladimir Putin. Putin is the driving force behind the attack on Ukraine.

Schröder had already given up his position on the supervisory board of the Russian energy company Rosneft last week. Chancellor Olaf Scholz had previously expressed the wish that Schröder should resign his mandate. The 78-year-old was accused across party lines of filling high-paying positions in Russian state-owned companies, while the European Union is trying to impose sanctions on the Russian economy in order to help Ukraine in this way.