The German edition of Bild has found out the details of how Putin's negotiations with former German Chancellor Gerhard Schroeder, who is considered a personal friend of the leader of the aggressor state, took place.

This is stated in an article published in Bild am Sonntag, the Sunday edition of the publication.

As it turned out, talks with Putin about stopping Russia's attack on Ukraine were not the only meeting the former chancellor had.

According to sources, Schroeder and Putin's private meeting lasted "several hours" and took place Thursday night. The former German chancellor and his wife flew to Moscow from Turkey on Wednesday, and a Russian plane picked them up.

A day later, on Friday, Schroeder's entourage held another meeting "with one of Putin's closest associates," but did not specify the exact name of the negotiator.

The former chancellor and his wife left Moscow on Saturday morning for Istanbul.

It is also known about the Turkish side's assistance in the organization of mediation by Schroeder, as well as the fact that the former chancellor was in touch with Ukraine. In particular, on Monday in Istanbul's Dolmabahce Palace, which is the official Turkish residence, Schroeder held talks with the Ukrainian delegation led by Rustem Umerov.

The publication's sources insist that Schroeder is one of the few international negotiators who is in dialogue with Putin, as well as with the "leadership of Ukraine" to end the war.

Earlier, it was reported that Gerhard Schroeder's office was firing staff because of his friendship with Putin and unwillingness to condemn the war.