Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov met his German counterpart Johann Wadephul on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly on Saturday, their countries’ first talks at foreign minister level since before Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine.
Russia’s Foreign Ministry said the German side had requested the talks and that the ministers discussed bilateral relations and the war in Ukraine.
“On these and other issues, Johann Wadephul reaffirmed the German government’s position, which has been stated publicly on numerous occasions,” the ministry said.
The meeting came amid renewed tensions between the two countries after Germany accused Russia of attempting to blow up two cargo planes at Leipzig airport in August using a drone rigged with explosives.
Wadephul told the UN Security Council this week that German support for Ukraine remained firm and called for a ceasefire and negotiations toward a lasting peace.
Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova claimed the German side had sought restrictions on media access to Saturday’s meeting, including a ban on questions and audio recordings of the opening remarks.
Lavrov last met a German foreign minister in January 2022, when he held talks with Wadephul’s predecessor Annalena Baerbock weeks before Russia invaded Ukraine.
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