UNITED NATIONS (AP) — Russia's Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov rejected calls from Germany to ease its "dangerous path of escalation" toward the country, instead accusing Germany of being Ukraine's main supporter and aspiring to be a leading military power in Europe. "Does Berlin understand what this could lead to?" Lavrov asked during his speech at the U.N. General Assembly's annual gathering of world leaders. He questioned whether Germany had learned lessons from World War II.
The meeting between Lavrov and German Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul took place on Saturday, marking what is believed to be the first direct discussion since Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022. Lavrov described Wadephul's comments as reiterations of Germany's public position condemning Russia, suggesting that the meeting did not constitute meaningful dialogue.
The meeting was requested by Wadephul and occurred shortly before Lavrov addressed the assembly, where he also criticized Japan's militarization. Lavrov stated that Russia would veto any attempts by Germany and Japan to gain permanent seats on the U.N. Security Council, citing their historical roles in World War II.
A German delegation official reported that Wadephul urged Russia to abandon its escalation toward Germany, Europe, and NATO. The relationship between Russia and Germany has deteriorated recently, particularly following an attempted drone attack at Leipzig airport, which Germany attributed to Russia.
Wadephul expressed a desire for improved relations but emphasized that this would require genuine willingness from Russia's leadership to end the war in Ukraine. The meeting lasted approximately 20 minutes and concluded with both ministers shaking hands.
Later, Lavrov stated at a news conference that "nothing new" emerged from the conversation. He defended Russia's actions in Ukraine during his address to the General Assembly, criticizing the West's influence and the idea of Germany or Japan obtaining permanent Security Council seats. He claimed that the West continues to impose its rules even as the global geopolitical landscape shifts.
Lavrov's remarks came amid ongoing military actions in Ukraine, where Russian attacks reportedly killed four people on Saturday, while Ukrainian officials claimed a drone attack killed three. Since the onset of the war, estimates suggest over 500,000 military casualties on both sides, though neither country discloses official numbers.
The conflict has had significant global impacts, affecting fuel, fertilizer, and grain shipments, and exacerbating geopolitical tensions between Russia and the West. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, addressing the assembly, urged nations to continue pressuring Russia economically and militarily to prevent further escalation of the conflict.
In recent developments, U.S. lawmakers passed a sanctions bill targeting Moscow, which President Donald Trump signed into law but has yet to implement. Zelenskyy indicated that the U.S. is facilitating technical talks involving delegations from the U.S., Ukraine, and Russia, although no specific plans have been finalized.
Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov mentioned that President Vladimir Putin and Trump discussed the possibility of such a meeting, but details remain unconfirmed. Putin criticized recent Ukrainian attacks within Russia and stated that proposals to resume talks are under consideration, though Moscow will carefully evaluate its next steps.
The three countries previously engaged in three rounds of negotiations earlier this year without achieving significant progress.