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Germany shuts ex-chancellor Schröder's office over Putin ties
By EUobserver
German ex-chancellor Gerhard Schröder's publicly-funded office is to be shut down amid mounting criticism at his refusal to distance himself from Russian president Vladimir Putin. The country's ex-leaders traditionally receive a state-funded office when they leave the post. Schröder has refused to condemn Putin, whom he still calls a close friend despite Russia's invasion of Ukraine, and is holding jobs at Russian state-owned energy companies, German media reported.