Milan, May 10 (LaPresse) – “A false offer.” That is how German government sources, as cited by the German media, have described the proposal put forward yesterday by Russian President Vladimir Putin, who stated that former German Chancellor Gerhard Schröder would be his preferred choice for any negotiations between the European Union and Moscow. German sources assert that Moscow’s statements are part of a series of similar offers and reflect Russia’s well-known hybrid strategy; they add that the proposed negotiation option “is not credible” because Moscow has not changed its conditions and emphasize that if Putin were serious, he would first have to extend the three-day ceasefire. Schröder himself, however, has made no comment; he has faced criticism in the past for his close ties to Russia.