Putin's apologist? Germany's Schroeder says they're just friends

Former German Chancellor Gerhard Schroeder delivers his speech as he supports Social Democratic top candidate Peer Steinbrueck (SPD) (not pictured) during an election campaign in Hanover, August 21, 2013. REUTERS/Fabian Bimmer

BERLIN (Reuters) - Former German chancellor Gerhard Schroeder has come under fire in Germany for defending his close friend Vladimir Putin and warning of the perils of isolating the Russian president over the crisis in Ukraine.

Schroeder, 69, has been excoriated for speaking out in favour of Moscow and against the German government position, not least because of his 250,000 euro salary as board chairman for a pipeline joint venture with Russian gas monopoly Gazprom.