Germany and Russia hold first foreign-minister-level talks since 2022 invasion
German Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul met his Russian counterpart Sergei Lavrov on 26 September on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly in New York, the first such contact since Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine. Wadephul said Russia showed no willingness to de-escalate or start talks to end the war, raised the Leipzig airport drone sabotage and reaffirmed Germany's support for Ukraine and sanctions pressure on Moscow.
Pontos principais
- German Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul and Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov met on 26 September in New York during the UN General Assembly — the first foreign-minister-level contact between Germany and Russia since the 2022 invasion.
- The meeting, held at Germany's initiative, lasted just over 20 minutes, according to the Russian Foreign Ministry.
- Wadephul said he saw no readiness on Lavrov's side to heed his call to start negotiations to end the war or to de-escalate.
- Wadephul raised the Leipzig airport drone sabotage, which Berlin attributes to Russia, calling it a 'crossing of a red line' and warning of further measures.
- Wadephul said he did not negotiate Ukraine's future with Lavrov, stating it must be decided by Ukrainians themselves, and pledged ongoing support for Kyiv and economic pressure on Moscow.
- Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andriy Sybiha spoke by phone with Wadephul after the meeting; he thanked him for conveying firm shared positions, including the demand that Moscow end the war.
- Wadephul welcomed US President Donald Trump's initiative to invite Vladimir Putin to a G20 summit in Miami, calling it a test of Russia's real readiness to negotiate.
Porque é importante
The meeting was the first foreign-minister-level contact between Germany and Russia since the start of the full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022, making it a notable diplomatic signal at a moment of renewed Western contacts with Moscow. Wadephul concluded from the encounter that there was no Russian appetite to start talks to end the war or to de-escalate, while Berlin used the meeting to raise the Leipzig airport drone sabotage and to restate support for Kyiv and sanctions pressure on Russia. The briefing of Ukraine's Andriy Sybiha immediately afterwards framed the contact as aligned Ukrainian–German messaging rather than a negotiation over Ukraine's future.
O que aconteceu
German Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul met Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov on 26 September on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly in New York — the first meeting between the heads of the two countries' foreign affairs ministries since Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022. According to the Russian Foreign Ministry, the meeting, held at Germany's initiative, lasted just over 20 minutes and covered the situation around Ukraine and bilateral relations. Wadephul said he did not see any willingness on the Russian side to heed his call to begin negotiations to end the war or to pursue de-escalation, particularly in light of the situation in Ukraine. He raised the drone incident at Leipzig, which Berlin considers an attempted Russian sabotage and a 'crossing of a red line', warning that Berlin would respond. Wadephul stressed that he had not discussed Ukraine's future with Lavrov, saying this is a matter for Ukrainians themselves to decide, and pledged to continue comprehensive support for Ukraine and economic pressure on Russia. He also cited concerns from Global South partners about food security as a reason to push for a Black Sea ceasefire. Wadephul said further meetings with Russia are possible if Moscow shows willingness for constructive dialogue and to stop its war against Ukraine, and welcomed US President Donald Trump's initiative to invite Vladimir Putin to a G20 summit in Miami as a test of Russia's real readiness to negotiate. After the meeting, Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andriy Sybiha spoke by phone with Wadephul, who briefed him on the conversation; Sybiha thanked him for conveying firm joint positions, including the demand that Moscow end the war, confirmation of unwavering support for Ukraine, and a warning against further hostile actions against Europe. At a later press conference, Lavrov dismissed the exchange as offering nothing beyond publicly stated positions, suggested the contact could have been made by phone, and rejected what he characterised as Wadephul's calls for 'concessions on the Ukrainian front' and a Black Sea arrangement for tanker and cargo passage; he also rejected Germany's accusations of Russian involvement in the Leipzig drone incident.
Como o descrevem as fontes ucranianas
Ukrainian outlets foreground Wadephul's conclusion that no Russian readiness for peace was visible, treating the meeting mainly through the lens of its (lack of) outcomes for Ukraine. Coverage emphasises his reaffirmation of support for Kyiv, continued economic pressure on Russia and the framing of the Leipzig drone incident as a 'red line' crossed. Several outlets highlight Wadephul's statement that Ukraine's future must be decided by Ukrainians, underscoring that nothing about Ukraine should be negotiated without Ukraine. The post-meeting Sybiha–Wadephul phone call and Sybiha's framing of 'firm shared positions' are also stressed, presenting the contact as closely coordinated with Kyiv rather than as a back channel.
Como o descrevem as fontes internacionais
The meeting is positioned as a German initiative (the Russian Foreign Ministry says it took place at Berlin's request) and as a resumption of dialogue after a long pause, with Wadephul's stated rationale of not leaving engagement with Russia solely to the United States. Western-leaning outlets stress Wadephul's humanitarian and Black Sea ceasefire motivation, concerns from partners in the Global South about famine, and the possibility of follow-up meetings contingent on Russian constructiveness. The sharp Estonian criticism, which frames the meeting as a propaganda win for Moscow and a risk of normalisation, is included as a contrasting European reaction.
Onde as versões divergem
Wadephul framed the meeting as a serious attempt to push for de-escalation and for negotiations to end the war; Lavrov characterised it as offering nothing new beyond publicly stated positions, mocked it as something that could have been delivered by phone, and rejected what he described as Wadephul's calls for 'concessions on the Ukrainian front' and a Black Sea arrangement for tanker and cargo passage. Estonian Foreign Minister Margus Tsahkna went further and described the meeting as 'a victory for Moscow' and pure Russian propaganda that left Germany in a humiliating position, warning against an impression of normalisation. Wadephul and Sybiha, by contrast, presented the contact as a successful transmission of firm joint Ukraine–Germany positions and a warning against further escalation. Ukrainian outlets uniformly stressed the lack of Russian readiness for peace and the coordinated nature of the messaging with Kyiv.
Contexto
The previous German–Russian foreign-ministerial meeting took place on 18 January 2022 in Moscow, when Germany's foreign minister was Annalena Baerbock, shortly before the full-scale invasion. The New York encounter happened during the 81st session of the UN General Assembly, three days after US Secretary of State Marco Rubio had met Lavrov in New York on 23 September. Wadephul cited Cold War–era contacts and advice from partners, including countries of the Global South concerned about food security, as context for engaging Russia directly and pushing for a Black Sea ceasefire.