Vereinte Nationen: Erste Gespräche seit Jahren: Wadephul trifft Lawrow

Bundesaußenminister Johann Wadephul met with his Russian counterpart, Sergei Lawrow, in New York for the first bilateral meeting between the two countries' foreign ministers in years. The conversation took place in a Russian-appointed conference room within the UN building and lasted nearly 20 minutes, ending with a handshake. The Deutsche side had requested the meeting, as reported by Tass, citing Maria Sacharowa, the spokesperson for Russia's Foreign Ministry.

This was the first direct conversation between German and Russian government representatives since the start of the Russian invasion of Ukraine in 2022. Both nations' foreign ministers typically attended international events together, but direct talks at the foreign minister level had been absent.

The meeting occurred in the context of ongoing efforts to end the war in Ukraine. Wadephul and Lawrow were in New York for the UN General Debate. Earlier, Wadephul had expressed concern over potential further escalation, accusing Russia's President, Vladimir Putin, of pushing aggression towards Europe due to increased hybrid attacks.

At a UN Security Council session, Wadephul criticized Russia for reaching a new level in its hybrid attacks against those supporting Ukraine and international law. Germany holds Russia responsible for a purported drone attack at Leipzig/Halle Airport and has announced a sanctions list against Moscow. This includes the termination of the contract for the operation of the Russian House in Berlin, suspected of being a covert spy facility.

Moscow denied the allegations and announced countermeasures, including shutting down Goethe Institutes in the country. Dmitri Medvedev, the vice-chief of Russia's National Security Council, stated that Germany's "anti-Russian policy" deserved real punishment, such as direct strikes on German arms manufacturing facilities that supply Ukraine.

Germany, Germany's role as a major supporter of Ukraine, which has been defending against the Russian invasion for over four years, has gained increased significance.