article_snippet: the 'Audi Chancellor was pictured in a warm embrace with the controversial Russian President last year .
article_snippet: Schroeder is a close friend of the controversial Russian President and the 'Audi Chancellor has defended the Kremlin's actions in Ukraine .
article_snippet: last year, Schroeder was snapped hugging the controversial Russian President in St Petersburg as Schroeder celebrated Schroeder 70th birthday.
article_snippet: Schroeder, who was German chancellor from 1998-2005, has long had close ties to the controversial Russian President and runs a pipeline venture bringing Russian gas to Germany.
article_snippet: Schroeder also defended the Kremlin's actions in Ukraine Ukraine Ukraine by claiming Russia wanted to stay 'big and strong' and an equal to the US.
article_snippet: In the past, Schroeder has described the controversial Russian President as a 'flawless democrat'.
article_snippet: Schroeder joined the board of the Russian energy giant Gazprom after losing Germany's 2005 election as leader of the centre-left Social Democrats (SPD), who are now in a coalition with Angela Merkel's Christian Democrats (CDU).