German, Russian foreign ministers hold rare talks amid rising tensions

Germany's foreign minister Johann Wadephul held a rare face-to-face discussion with Russian counterpart Sergey Lavrov on the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly in New York. The meeting, which Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said was requested by Germany, was the first such contact between the two countries' top diplomats since Russia invaded Ukraine in 2022. Wadephul used the talks to urge Moscow to step back from what he described as a "dangerous path of escalation" with Germany, Europe and NATO, and to press for an immediate and complete ceasefire with particular attention to restoring grain and energy shipments from the Black Sea. A German delegation source told Reuters that Wadephul specifically called on Lavrov to do everything possible to reach an agreement on grain exports via the Black Sea. Lavrov, speaking afterwards, dismissed Wadephul's appeal as reiterating positions Germany had already set out publicly. In his address to the UN General Assembly he characterized Germany as Kyiv's "main sponsor" and questioned whether Berlin understood the potential consequences of its actions, invoking lessons from World War II. He also said Russia has been discussing proposals to secure navigation in the Black Sea with India, Egypt and Turkiye and argued for separate, forceful negotiations with Ukraine over attacks on vessels. The exchange follows a period of frozen diplomatic relations between Berlin and Moscow that worsened after a drone incident at Leipzig airport last month, which Germany attributed to Russia — an allegation Moscow denies. Wadephul informed his European allies of the meeting afterward and reiterated in a message seen by Reuters his call for an immediate and complete ceasefire and renewed focus on safeguarding grain and energy infrastructure amid efforts to revive blocked Black Sea exports.