Germany and Russia Hold First Ministerial Talks Since Ukraine Invasion

NEW YORK, The German and Russian foreign ministers sat down together in New York on Saturday for what is believed to be the first face-to-face ministerial encounter since Russia launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, a meeting that produced blunt words on both sides and no visible movement toward any thaw.

German Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul requested the meeting, which took place on the sidelines of the 81st UN General Assembly, according to Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova, as reported by Al Jazeera. The encounter was held before Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov addressed world leaders in the General Assembly hall.

In the meeting, according to a German delegation official cited by the Associated Press, Wadephul called on Russia to abandon its "dangerous path of escalation" toward Germany, Europe and the NATO alliance. He also expressed openness to a better relationship, though he made clear that any genuine improvement required Russia's leadership to show a real willingness to end the war in Ukraine, according to PBS NewsHour.

Lavrov was not receptive. After his speech, he told reporters he had learned nothing new from his German counterpart that Berlin had not already said publicly. He was quoted by Al Jazeera as saying he told Wadephul: "I told him that frankly … you could just have called me."

In the General Assembly hall, Lavrov went further, accusing Germany of being Ukraine's "main sponsor" and of seeking to position itself as a leading military power in Europe. He questioned whether Berlin understood the consequences of that path and invoked World War II, according to CP24's account of his remarks.

Ties between Moscow and Berlin have curdled badly in recent weeks. The proximate cause is an attempted drone attack in August at Leipzig-Halle Airport in eastern Germany. Germany has blamed the incident on Russia, and tit-for-tat diplomatic responses followed, according to PBS NewsHour. Lavrov also used his Assembly speech to signal that Russia would veto any bid by Germany and Japan for permanent seats on the UN Security Council, the organisation's most powerful body.

The encounter lands against an already fraught backdrop at the UN. The 81st session opened under the theme "Restoring trust, managing transformation," though the gap between that aspiration and the state of the institution was hard to miss. As Brookings analysts noted in their preview of this week's session, the UN is confronting what they described as its most serious crisis since 1945, operating with a reduced budget and an outgoing secretary-general. António Guterres, whose second term ends on 31 December, used his final General Assembly address to warn that "the fault lines in our world are widening," according to the UN's own meeting coverage.

The leadership succession adds another layer of uncertainty. Former Chilean President Michelle Bachelet withdrew from the secretary-general race on 20 September, according to International Business Times Singapore, leaving seven candidates in the field. Many member states are hoping the next incumbent can help restore the organisation's diplomatic credibility.

For Berlin, Saturday's encounter carries its own significance. Germany has been one of Ukraine's principal backers and has simultaneously pushed to remain a credible diplomatic voice in a European security landscape that has hardened almost beyond recognition since 2022. Whether requesting a meeting that Lavrov publicly dismissed as pointless serves that goal is a question German officials will now have to answer at home. The meeting happened. Whether it meant anything is a different matter.

Sources cited:
- Al Jazeera (https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2026/9/27/german-russian-foreign-ministers-hold-rare-talks-amid-rising-tensions)
- Associated Press via ABC News (https://abcnews.com/US/wireStory/german-russian-foreign-ministers-rare-meeting-136785326)
- PBS NewsHour (https://www.pbs.org/newshour/world/german-and-russian-foreign-ministers-have-rare-meeting-at-united-nations-general-assembly)
- CP24 / Associated Press (https://www.cp24.com/news/world/2026/09/26/german-russian-foreign-ministers-have-rare-meeting-at-un/)
- Brookings Institution (https://www.brookings.edu/articles/whats-at-stake-at-unga-2026/)
- UN Meetings Coverage (press.un.org) (https://press.un.org/en/2026/ga12785.doc.htm)
- International Business Times Singapore (https://www.ibtimes.sg/un-general-assembly-2026-what-stake-world-leaders-gather-new-york-94016)