Russian and German Foreign Ministers Meet for First Time Since Ukraine Invasion
Russia's and Germany's top diplomats held their first foreign minister-level talks since January 2022 on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly. The meeting took place against a backdrop of renewed tension between the two countries.
Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov and German Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul met on Saturday during the UN General Assembly in New York, marking the first foreign minister-level contact between the two countries since January 2022. That earlier meeting took place between Lavrov and then-German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock, weeks before Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine began.
According to Russia's Foreign Ministry, Germany had requested the meeting, and the two ministers discussed bilateral relations along with the war in Ukraine. Russian officials said Wadephul reaffirmed positions the German government has stated publicly on multiple occasions.
The talks unfolded amid heightened tension between Moscow and Berlin. In August, Germany accused Russia of attempting to blow up two cargo planes at Leipzig airport using an explosive-rigged drone.
Earlier this week, addressing the UN Security Council, Wadephul said Germany's support for Ukraine remains steady and called for a ceasefire followed by negotiations toward a durable peace.
Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova alleged that the German side had tried to limit media access to Saturday's meeting, including seeking a ban on questions from journalists and on audio recording of the opening remarks.
