Get you up to speed: German, Russian foreign ministers hold rare talks amid rising tensions
German Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul and Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov held talks in New York on the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly. The meeting, the first since Russia’s 2022 invasion of Ukraine, addressed bilateral ties and the ongoing war, but both diplomats acknowledged no new information was exchanged.
The meeting between Johann Wadephul and Sergey Lavrov was the first direct diplomatic engagement since the onset of the Ukraine conflict in 2022, with fresh accusations and concerns over security in Europe arising from recent military incidents. Wadephul also communicated the outcomes of the discussions to his European allies, underscoring Germany’s ongoing commitment to addressing the war’s impact on grain and energy exports.
Germany’s Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul has officially urged Russia to abandon its “dangerous path of escalation” with Europe and NATO, reiterating calls for an immediate ceasefire and focus on grain exports following a meeting with Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov. In response, Lavrov indicated that Russia is pursuing discussions with other nations to ensure safe navigation in the Black Sea while asserting that demands should be made to Ukraine, as both sides continue to navigate the complexities of their strained relations.
What remains unclear — It is uncertain how the proposed discussions with Ukraine regarding Black Sea navigation will proceed amid ongoing tensions and accusations.
German and Russian foreign ministers meet for first talks since 2022 invasion
News|United NationsGerman, Russian foreign ministers hold rare talks amid rising tensions
Russia’s top diplomat Lavrov dismisses German Foreign Minister Wadephul’s call to abandon ‘dangerous path of escalation’ with Europe.
Published On 27 Sep 202627 Sep 2026
Germany’s Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul has called on Russia to abandon its “dangerous path of escalation” with Germany, Europe and NATO during talks with his Russian counterpart, Sergey Lavrov, in New York.
The meeting on the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly on Saturday — the first such talks since Russia’s 2022 invasion of Ukraine — was requested by the German side, according to Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova. It was held before Lavrov’s address to world leaders.
In his speech on Saturday, Lavrov told the UNGA that Germany is not only Kyiv’s “main sponsor” but also seeks to be a leading military power in Europe.
“Does Berlin understand what this could lead to? Didn’t they … learn the lessons of World War II?” he asked.
Diplomatic relations between Berlin and Moscow have been frozen since Russia invaded Ukraine in 2022.
They deteriorated further after a drone incident at Leipzig airport in eastern Germany last month, which Berlin blamed on Russia. Moscow has firmly denied involvement and accused Germany of fabricating evidence.
European countries have linked Russia to drone incursions near airports, military bases and critical infrastructure across the continent in the past year.
Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov addresses the 81st United Nations General Assembly at the UN’s headquarters in New York City on September 26, 2026 [Eduardo Munoz/Reuters]
After his UN speech, Lavrov told a news conference that he had learned nothing new from his German counterpart in talks that Berlin had not already said publicly in its official statements.
“I told him that frankly … you could just have called me and said: ‘Read my statement,’” Lavrov said.
Still, the ministers discussed bilateral ties and the war in Ukraine, officials from both sides said.
Wadephul urged Lavrov to do “everything possible to reach an agreement on grain exports via the Black Sea”, a German delegation source said, as reported by the Reuters news agency.
The meeting comes amid diplomatic efforts to revive Russia and Ukraine’s Black Sea grain and energy exports that have been restricted by attacks on vessels and port infrastructure.
Lavrov told the news conference that Russia had been in talks with India, Egypt and Turkiye about proposals to ensure safe navigation in the Black Sea.
“There is a need for separate discussions with the Ukrainians, and not in the language of requests, but rather demands,” he said, blaming Ukraine for the attacks on vessels.
Kyiv has said it is open to agreements and blames all the fallout from the war on Russia and its invasion.
Wadephul notified his European allies of the meeting afterwards in a message seen by Reuters.
“I used this opportunity to reiterate our position on Russia’s war of aggression against Ukraine and to call for an immediate and complete ceasefire, most pressingly with a focus on grain exports, and the energy infrastructure,” he wrote.