Lavrov Meets German Foreign Minister at UN General Assembly

Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov met with German Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul on Saturday during the 81st UN General Assembly in New York. The 20-minute discussion marked the first direct meeting between the two since Russia's 2022 invasion of Ukraine. The encounter took place amid severe bilateral tension following a drone attack at Leipzig airport, which Germany attributed to Russia, and the closure of a Russian consulate and cultural center in Berlin.

Wadephul urged Russia to abandon its escalation toward Europe and NATO, emphasizing that a better relationship requires a genuine willingness to end the war in Ukraine. He specifically called for a constructive agreement on Black Sea grain exports to address food shortages in the Global South. Following the meeting, Lavrov stated that "nothing new came from" the conversation.

In a broader diplomatic marathon, Lavrov held talks with US Secretary of State Marco Rubio, UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres, and IAEA Director General Rafael Grossi. Addressing the General Assembly, Lavrov defended the war in Ukraine and argued that a fairer, multipolar world order is emerging. While he expressed readiness for negotiations, he rejected demands to halt military operations, claiming a pause would allow Kyiv to regroup. Simultaneously, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy warned the assembly that Russia is escalating every single day and urged partners to choose stronger responses to prevent the war from spreading.