Russian President Vladimir Putin's proposal to make former German Chancellor Gerhard Schroeder a mediator in possible negotiations between Russia and the EU should be taken seriously, said Adis Ahmetovic, a foreign policy expert for the Social Democratic Party of Germany (SPD) faction in the Bundestag.

“Every proposal must be seriously examined to determine its credibility,” the MP said in an interview with Der Spiegel magazine. “Our goal should be to sit at the negotiating table,” Ahmetovic noted. “If the participation of the former German Chancellor is a condition for this, it should be weighed in close coordination with our European partners, not categorically ruled out immediately,” he stressed.

On the other hand, Bundestag member Ralf Stegner, also from the SPD, called for discussion of the Russian president's proposal. "I welcome any initiative that can end the war," he told Der Spiegel. "If this can be achieved through someone like Schroeder, it would be pointless to reject it," Stegner said.

The former chancellor's office said in response to a request from the DPA news agency that Schroeder would not make any statements regarding his willingness to mediate in the dialogue between the EU and Russia.

Putin said Saturday, answering questions from reporters, that Schroeder is the preferred candidate for possible negotiations between the EU and Russia. Moscow has never been closed to negotiations, he added.