Lavrov, Wadephul Hold First Meeting Since Ukraine Invasion at UN

Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov and German Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul met Saturday on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly in New York. It marked the first such encounter since Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, according to both outlets.

The roughly 20-minute meeting was requested by Germany and took place in a room provided by the Russian delegation, ending with a handshake. Wadephul urged Russia to abandon its "dangerous path of escalation" toward Germany, Europe, and NATO, citing the attempted drone attack on Leipzig airport last month.

“Nothing new came from the conversation.”

Germany has blamed Russia for the Leipzig incident, which triggered tit-for-tat diplomatic expulsions. Lavrov previously accused Berlin of waging a "real war" against Russia in response to those allegations.

Wadephul expressed openness to improved relations but insisted it requires a genuine Russian willingness to end the war in Ukraine. He accused Moscow of war crimes targeting civilians, hospitals, and grain infrastructure.

Following the talks, Lavrov told reporters "nothing new came from" the conversation. He later used his General Assembly speech to criticize Western privileges and oppose permanent UN Security Council seats for Germany and Japan.