Hours after his meeting with Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov in New York today, Saturday (September 26), German Foreign Minister Johann Wadewohl acknowledged that fundamental differences between Berlin and Moscow still exist.
The meeting was held on the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly session, and the meeting of the German and Russian foreign ministers is the first of its kind since former Minister Annalena Baerbock met with Lavrov prior to the Russian invasion of Ukraine in early 2022.
"It was intense talks. Of course, we did not reach an agreement on basic points," Vadiful said in statements to German Channel 2 (ZDF). The minister, who belongs to Chancellor Friedrich Merz's Christian Democratic party, added that he "offered Lavrov a de-escalation, especially given the situation in Ukraine, but so far it has fallen on deaf ears."
German warning of escalation
The German minister explained that it was important for him to clarify that Germany "does not accept matters like this, such as the drone attack in Leipzig, and that this represents an escalation that cannot be accepted." He added that he warned Russia against continuing with the current approach, and added: “We can defend ourselves, we can confront that, and we will do that as well.”
The German government holds Russia responsible for the incident related to the discovery of a drone loaded with unexploded explosives at Leipzig/Halle Airport in eastern Germany. On the other hand, Moscow, for its part, denies any responsibility for this incident.
The ball is in Moscow's court
Vadivul believed that the future of any additional dialogue between the two sides depends mainly on the Russian position. He added: "If Russia is prepared to talk constructively, and if it is above all prepared to abandon its war on Ukraine, then it will certainly be possible to hold talks."
Why did Berlin agree to the meeting?
Vadivul defended his decision to hold a meeting with Lavrov despite the deep tensions between the two countries, explaining that a number of foreign ministers and international partners encouraged him to keep the channels of dialogue open with Russia.
He noted that some of his counterparts have told him that "at some point, we must also return to speaking directly to each other." Stressing at the same time that he does not want the Europeans to leave the task of conducting dialogue with Russia entirely to the Americans.
Communication channels despite differences
The German minister stressed that there are fundamental differences between the positions of the Berlin and Moscow governments. “But it also needs to be talked about,” he said.
He said that communication between the East and the West was not interrupted even during the years of the Cold War, adding, "I thought it was right to search at the present time for the first opportunity to communicate."
There is no negotiation on Ukraine without Ukraine
Vadivul stressed that the principle of not discussing issues related to Ukraine without involving it remains valid, of course, explaining: “I am not negotiating on behalf of Ukraine, as this is something that the Ukrainians do themselves; rather, I urge Russia to talk with Ukraine.”
Grains are at the heart of the debate
Among the files that the German minister focused on during his speech was the issue of grain exports through the Black Sea, considering that resuming the flow of grain from Ukraine and Russia represents an international priority.
He explained that many countries of the Global South depend on these exports to secure their food needs, noting that Egypt obtains about a third of its grain imports from Ukraine.
Vadivule warned that disrupting grain exports could lead to worsening food crises and rising hunger rates in a number of countries, stressing that avoiding this scenario must be a common goal for all parties.
Lavrov: I did not hear anything new from Berlin
For his part, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov downplayed the importance of his meeting with his German counterpart Johann Wadevol, considering that the talks did not reveal any shift in the German position. He said in response to a question by the German News Agency (DPA) in New York: “When looking at Berlin’s daily public statements, I did not hear anything different,” adding that he addressed Vadivul by saying: “You could have simply called me and told me: Read my statement.”
