German and Russian ministers meet in New York
Johann Wadephul and Sergei Lavrov held talks during the United Nations General Assembly.
German Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul has met his Russian counterpart Sergei Lavrov in New York. Nothing has yet been officially disclosed about the content of the talks; according to the Russian side, the meeting was arranged at Germany’s initiative.
The two ministers met on the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly. It is the first time in more than four years that the German and Russian foreign ministers have spoken directly to each other, according to a report by Berliner Sonntagsblatt based on information from the dts news agency.
For now, only footage of the greeting has been made public. There was no joint statement and no press conference followed. As a result, it is not possible to establish whether the ministers reached substantive agreements or merely held a brief diplomatic exchange.
The meeting takes place against the backdrop of the war in Ukraine. Wadephul is representing Germany at the UN this week and has placed support for Ukraine at the centre of his public appearances. The German Foreign Ministry describes the war and the international security order as important subjects for the German delegation.
Lavrov is also speaking during the General Assembly. According to Tagesschau, the Russian minister said that Moscow was prepared to negotiate a lasting peace, but that Russia did not want to suspend its attacks temporarily because this would give Ukraine’s allies room to arm Kyiv further. That is the Russian presentation of events; independent confirmation of that political intention is not possible.
A meeting between diplomats does not in itself indicate a thaw. In recent years, Germany has spoken out in favour of supporting Ukraine and putting pressure on Russia. At the same time, direct contact between adversaries is common during international gatherings, particularly when official relations are strained.
The significance of the talks therefore remains limited for now to the fact that they took place. Until either government publishes the content, it is unclear whether subjects such as Ukraine, prisoners, diplomatic relations or possible negotiations were discussed.
One story, several perspectives
What is established
- The German and Russian foreign ministers spoke to each other in New York.
- The content of the meeting is not public.
- Germany supports Ukraine and Russia says it is prepared to hold talks on peace, but links this to its own conditions.
Left
Arguments Contact can protect civilians and diplomatic avenues, but must not come at the expense of Ukraine’s self-determination. Any peace process should be internationally monitored and take account of victims and occupied territories.
Values Human rights, international law and the protection of civilians.
Consequences Cautious diplomatic contact alongside continued support for Ukraine and clear conditions for negotiations.
Centre
Arguments Even adversaries must be able to speak to each other. Direct contact can limit misunderstandings, but only concrete agreements and verifiable steps say anything about genuine rapprochement.
Values Diplomacy, institutional stability and verifiability.
Consequences A gradual process involving confidential talks, international mediation and verifiable agreements.
Right
Arguments Talks without pressure could mainly give Moscow more time. Russia must first demonstrate that it is genuinely prepared to end the violence; political signals must not replace military and economic pressure.
Values Deterrence, national sovereignty and the credibility of alliances.
Consequences Continued support and sanctions, while diplomatic contact remains limited to practical or security issues.
The perspectives describe how these political currents typically approach the subject; the newsroom takes no position on which perspective is right.
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The meeting, its location and the limited public information have been confirmed by open sources. Russian statements have clearly been attributed to the Russian minister.
- confirmed Johann Wadephul and Sergei Lavrov spoke to each other in New York. — Berliner Sonntagsblatt reports the meeting based on information from dts. source
- confirmed The content of the talks has not been made public. — The available reporting contains no joint statement or substantive explanation. source
- confirmed Lavrov said that Russia was prepared to negotiate a lasting peace but did not want to suspend its attacks temporarily. — Tagesschau attributes these statements to Lavrov. source
Editor's note
The meeting and the Russian account of the initiative have been reported. The content, any agreements and the precise duration of the meeting have not been made public.Sources
- Wadephul trifft Lawrow am Rande der UN-Generalversammlung — Berliner Sonntagsblatt
- Außenminister Wadephul spricht vor UN-Generalversammlung — Tagesschau
- Foreign Minister Wadephul travels to New York for the UN General Debate — Federal Foreign Office
More on this in Dutch media
- de Volkskrant — „duitsland rusland”
- RTL Nieuws — „duitsland rusland”
- NOS — „duitsland rusland”