German, Russian foreign ministers hold rare talks amid rising tensions

Russia’s apical diplomat Lavrov dismisses German Foreign Minister Wadephul’s telephone to wantonness ‘dangerous way of escalation’ with Europe.

Germany’s Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul has called connected Russia to wantonness its “dangerous way of escalation” with Germany, Europe and NATO during talks with his Russian counterpart, Sergey Lavrov, successful New York.

The gathering connected the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly connected Saturday — the archetypal specified talks since Russia’s 2022 penetration of Ukraine — was requested by the German side, according to Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova. It was held earlier Lavrov’s code to satellite leaders.

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In his code connected Saturday, Lavrov told the UNGA that Germany is not lone Kyiv’s “main sponsor” but besides seeks to beryllium a starring subject powerfulness successful Europe.

“Does Berlin recognize what this could pb to? Didn’t they … larn the lessons of World War II?” helium asked.

Diplomatic relations betwixt Berlin and Moscow person been frozen since Russia invaded Ukraine successful 2022.

They deteriorated further aft a drone incidental astatine Leipzig airport successful eastbound Germany past month, which Berlin blamed connected Russia. Moscow has firmly denied engagement and accused Germany of fabricating evidence.

European countries person linked Russia to drone incursions adjacent airports, subject bases and captious infrastructure crossed the continent successful the past year.

Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov addresses the 81st United Nations General Assembly astatine the UN’s office successful New York City connected September 26, 2026 [Eduardo Munoz/Reuters]

After his UN speech, Lavrov told a quality league that helium had learned thing caller from his German counterpart successful talks that Berlin had not already said publically successful its authoritative statements.

“I told him that frankly … you could conscionable person called maine and said: ‘Read my statement,'” Lavrov said.

Still, the ministers discussed bilateral ties and the warfare successful Ukraine, officials from some sides said.

Wadephul urged Lavrov to bash “everything imaginable to scope an statement connected atom exports via the Black Sea”, a German delegation root said, arsenic reported by the Reuters quality agency.

The gathering comes amid diplomatic efforts to revive Russia and Ukraine’s Black Sea atom and vigor exports that person been restricted by attacks connected vessels and larboard infrastructure.

Lavrov told the quality league that Russia had been successful talks with India, Egypt and Turkiye astir proposals to guarantee harmless navigation successful the Black Sea.

“There is simply a request for abstracted discussions with the Ukrainians, and not successful the connection of requests, but alternatively demands,” helium said, blaming Ukraine for the attacks connected vessels.

Kyiv has said it is unfastened to agreements and blames each the fallout from the warfare connected Russia and its invasion.

Wadephul notified his European allies of the gathering afterwards successful a connection seen by Reuters.

“I utilized this accidental to reiterate our presumption connected Russia’s warfare of aggression against Ukraine and to telephone for an contiguous and implicit ceasefire, astir pressingly with a absorption connected atom exports, and the vigor infrastructure,” helium wrote.