On the sidelines of the work of the United Nations General Assembly in New York, German Foreign Minister Johann Vadevol held a surprise meeting on Saturday (September 26) with his Russian counterpart, Sergei Lavrov, in the first direct meeting at the level of foreign ministers between the two countries since the outbreak of the Russian-Ukrainian war in early 2022.
The meeting took place inside a hall belonging to the Russian delegation in the United Nations building and lasted more than 20 minutes, away from the media. Video clips circulating on the “X” platform showed a picture of Russian President Vladimir Putin hanging on the wall of the meeting hall.
Who requested the meeting?
The meeting quickly raised questions about who initiated it. While Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova confirmed that it was the German side that requested the meeting, other accounts said that Lavrov had informed Berlin, through intermediary parties, of his readiness to hold direct talks, which prompted the German side to agree to the meeting.
Despite the conflicting accounts, the holding of the meeting itself is a remarkable development after years of political and diplomatic estrangement between Moscow and Berlin.
Russian websites on X published video clips of the meeting showing the two ministers welcoming each other and the attendees, and they were speaking in English.
Firm German messages to Moscow
According to sources in the German delegation, Vadiful took advantage of the meeting to send direct messages to the Russian side, calling on Moscow to "abandon the path of dangerous escalation against Germany, Europe, and NATO."
The German Minister also stressed that the "hybrid attacks" attributed to Russia, including the attempted attack on Leipzig/Halle Airport last August, will not affect Germany's commitment to continue supporting Ukraine, but they contribute to deepening the crisis between the two countries.
Grains and food security are on the table
German sources reported, according to the German News Agency (DPA), that Vadiful also called on Russia to reach an agreement with Ukraine regarding grain exports through the Black Sea, pointing out the importance of this file for global food security, especially in countries suffering from food shortages.
However, neither party officially revealed the details of the agenda or files discussed during the meeting.
German conditions for improving relations
While the German minister stressed the possibility of returning in the future to more constructive relations between Berlin and Moscow, he linked this to a basic condition, which is the Russian leadership’s readiness to end the war on Ukraine and contribute to rebuilding a stable security system in Europe.
These statements come at a time when German-Russian relations are witnessing one of their worst stages since the end of the Cold War.
Escalation and mutual sanctions
A few days ago, Vadiful accused Russian President Vladimir Putin of expanding the scope of "Russian aggression against Europe," warning that hybrid attacks against Ukraine's supporters had entered a "new phase."
The German government holds Moscow responsible for the attempt to target Leipzig/Halle Airport with a drone, which prompted Berlin to impose new punitive measures that included terminating the operating contract for the “Russian House” in the German capital on the grounds of using it for purposes beyond cultural activity.
On the other hand, Russia rejected these accusations and took countermeasures, including closing the German Goethe Institutes inside Russian territory.
Russian threats to Germany
Days before the meeting, Deputy Chairman of the Russian National Security Council, Dmitry Medvedev, escalated his tone towards Berlin, considering that Germany deserves “real punishment” because of its anti-Russian policies.
Medvedev hinted at the possibility of direct strikes on German arms factories supplying Ukraine with military equipment, in statements that reflect the extent of the deterioration in relations between the two sides.
The first meeting since the outbreak of the Ukraine war
The last direct meeting between a German Foreign Minister and Sergei Lavrov dates back to January 2022, when then-German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock met with the Russian Minister a few weeks before the start of the Russian invasion of Ukraine.
Since then, officials from the two countries have met at various international conferences and forums, but without holding bilateral talks at this level.
A channel of communication despite differences
Although the meeting did not result in the announcement of any tangible results, it reflects the desire of both parties to keep communication channels open at a moment of unprecedented political and security escalation between Russia and the West.
