Lavrov and Johann Wadephul meet at UN General Assembly amid tensions
The short meeting in New York — convened at Germany's request — covered bilateral ties, the war in Ukraine and efforts to revive Black Sea grain shipments.
Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov met briefly with Germany's foreign minister Johann Wadephul on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly in New York — the first direct encounter between the two at ministerial level since the start of Russia's invasion of Ukraine. ([tagesschau.de](https://www.tagesschau.de/ausland/europa/wadephul-treffen-lawrow-100.html?utm_source=openai))
Short, tense exchange on war, security and grain exports
According to the Russian foreign ministry, the German side requested the meeting; the ministers discussed bilateral ties and the ongoing war in Ukraine. ([globalsecurity.org](https://www.globalsecurity.org/wmd/library/news/russia/2026/09/russia-260926-russia-mfa01.htm?utm_source=openai))
Wadephul defended his decision to hold talks with Lavrov, saying he was motivated by security concerns and by an international effort to restore grain and energy shipments through the Black Sea. He told reporters that "a large number of colleagues asked me to talk to Russia about this. There is a threat of famine there and therefore I advocate a ceasefire in the Black Sea." ([auswaertiges-amt.de](https://www.auswaertiges-amt.de/de/aussenpolitik/regelbasierte-internationale-ordnung/uno/2803308-2803308?utm_source=openai))
The meeting took place amid heightened tensions after Germany accused Moscow of responsibility for a drone incident at Leipzig airport this summer; Wadephul said that the incident had crossed a line and that Germany must be clear it is prepared to respond. He warned: "Russia must understand that we are prepared to resist and to defend ourselves." ([t-online.de](https://www.t-online.de/nachrichten/deutschland/aussenpolitik/id_101454030/wadephul-traf-russischen-aussenminister-lawrow-in-new-york-zu-gespraechen.html?utm_source=openai))
Russian spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said the German side had requested limits on media access to the meeting, including a ban on questions and on audio recordings of opening remarks. The Russian ministry's account said the encounter was convened at Berlin's request. ([globalsecurity.org](https://www.globalsecurity.org/wmd/library/news/russia/2026/09/russia-260926-russia-mfa01.htm?utm_source=openai))
After the talks Lavrov said he had not learned anything new from his German counterpart and suggested Wadephul could simply have asked him to "read my statement." "I told him he could simply have called me and said: 'Read my statement'," Lavrov said when asked about the outcome. ([nw.de](https://www.nw.de/nachrichten/nachrichten/24427651_Treffen-am-Rande-der-UN-Wadephul-und-Lawrow-bleiben-uneins.html?utm_source=openai))
Photo: Telegram)
