Lavrov: Russia’s war in Ukraine will continue ‘through to the end’

German Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul met with Russian counterpart Sergey Lavrov at the United Nations on Saturday, just one day after the U.S. invited Russian President Vladimir Putin to the upcoming G20 summit in Miami. The 30-minute meeting took place amid heightened tensions between Berlin and Moscow. Wadephul urged Russia to "abandon its dangerous path of escalation" towards Germany, Europe, and NATO, condemning Russia's ongoing aggression against the Ukrainian civilian population and pointing out the collapse of the Russian economy amid a war of attrition.

This meeting, the first of its kind since Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022, follows the German government's accusation that Russian intelligence services orchestrated an attempted drone attack on a Ukrainian cargo plane at Leipzig airport earlier this month. In response, Germany closed Russia's consulate in Bonn, while Moscow retaliated by closing Germany's consulate in St. Petersburg.

During the U.N. Security Council meeting earlier this week, Wadephul called out Russia's "reckless and dangerous escalation in Europe," while Lavrov accused Europe of "criminal methods." The German official emphasized that incidents like the recent attempted attack in Leipzig would not deter Germany's support for Ukraine, but would further damage already strained bilateral relations.

Moscow's foreign ministry spokesperson, Maria Zakharova, claimed that Wadephul had asked for the meeting, while Wadephul stated that he agreed to meet Lavrov after Russia's foreign minister signaled a willingness to engage in talks through third-party intermediaries. The meeting occurred as the U.S. and its Western allies seek to restart peace talks between Russia and Ukraine, with the U.S. extending an invitation to Putin for the G20 summit.

Wadephul welcomed the U.S. initiative but stressed that a ceasefire is necessary for earnest negotiations.