Federal Foreign Minister Wadephul meets Russian colleague Lavrov in New York

Federal Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul unexpectedly met with his Russian counterpart Sergei Lavrov on the sidelines of the UN general debate in New York.

According to Wadephul, the 20-minute conversation, the first bilateral meeting between the foreign ministers of both countries in years, came about through third-party mediation. “I have been approached by numerous colleagues from other countries and have been told that Russia would be willing to talk,” said the Federal Foreign Minister in an interview with Tagesthemen. Many people advised him to have the interview and even asked him to do so.

Wadephul: Drone incident has 'crossed the line'

The content was about the consequences of the Russian war of aggression against Ukraine. Specifically - according to Wadephul - about grain exports from Ukraine and Russia: "A country like Egypt urgently needs something like that. There is a risk of famine." It's the right thing to advocate for something like this, said Wadephul.

A second topic was the drone incident at Leipzig/Halle Airport. "A drone that could really have brought down planes was put into operation there by Russian hands." He made it clear to Lavrov "that a limit was crossed and that we expect that something like this will not happen again and that we are ready to react at any time." The German government blames Russia for the incident involving an unexploded explosive drone at the airport, which is an important hub for support for Ukraine.

And thirdly, he made German support for Ukraine clear, Wadephul continued. This is “completely unbroken” and Russia must now come to the negotiating table. "There is no justification for this war, which claims countless victims, including Russian victims, but above all the civilians in Ukraine."

"It's right that we talk to each other"

Unfortunately, Russia is not ready to end the war at this point, Wadephul continued. "I still believe that it is right that we talk to each other. That is also the task of foreign ministries and diplomacy."

Wadephul does not see a change in German foreign policy in accepting a direct conversation with Lavrov. We defend international law and stand on Ukraine's side, he explained that again to Lavrov. However, one of the core tasks of a foreign minister is to hold discussions - even with conversation partners with whom one has fundamental differences. Wadephul said in the tagesthemen interview:

"Talk to Russia - that's what we do"

Even if the conversation did not have a positive result, it was useful. "To all those who keep saying that Germany has to negotiate, that Germany has to talk to Russia, I now reply: We are doing that. And Russia is unfortunately not showing any willingness to enter into a constructive negotiating position at this point in time."

After the conversation, the Russian Foreign Minister immediately questioned its usefulness and saw no progress. Lavrov told the dpa news agency: "If you look at Berlin's daily public statements, I haven't heard anything different." You could have just called him.

It was the first conversation at this level since the start of the Russian war of aggression against Ukraine in 2022. The then Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock (Greens) met with Lavrov in Moscow in January 2022. Since then, German and Russian government representatives have been represented together at various international meetings, but there have been no direct discussions at foreign minister level.

Wadephul traveled to New York on behalf of Chancellor Friedrich Merz.