The German Football Association (DFB) and Borussia Dortmund had previously withdrawn Schröder’s honorary membership because of his proximity to Russia. According to the DFB, Schröder “did not clearly distance himself from the war and its aggressor out of consideration for personal interests and also did not take the necessary business consequences”.
Schröder has been under a lot of pressure since the start of the Russian war of aggression in Ukraine. The former chancellor has long been friends with Russian President Vladimir Putin. He works as a lobbyist for the natural gas pipeline companies Nord Stream 1 and 2 and is chairman of the board of directors of the Russian oil company Rosneft.
