BERLIN (Reuters) - Former German Chancellor Gerhard Schroeder said on Sunday his controversial meeting with Vladimir Putin helped win the release of European military observers held in eastern Ukraine days later and he urged the West to stop focusing on sanctions on Russia.
Criticised for media pictures that showed him warmly embracing the Russian president at an April 28 meeting in St. Petersburg, Schroeder said he appealed to Putin to do what he could to free the seven Organisation for Security and Cooperation in Europe observers. They were released on May 3.