RT by @mikenov: RT by @mikenov: Wadephul on meeting with Lavrov: De-escalation proposal met with no response. “I do not want us Europeans to cede the field of dialogue with Russia entirely to the Americans,” said the German foreign policy expert when asked why he had held a 20-minute meeting with Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov. It was the first conversation between foreign policy representatives of the two countries since the start of Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine. According to Johann Wadephul, it was also important for him to make it clear to the Russian delegation that Germany would not tolerate incidents such as the attempted drone attack at Leipzig Airport. “There are i

Wadephul on meeting with Lavrov: De-escalation proposal met with no response.

“I do not want us Europeans to cede the field of dialogue with Russia entirely to the Americans,” said the German foreign policy expert when asked why he had held a 20-minute meeting with Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov. It was the first conversation between foreign policy representatives of the two countries since the start of Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine.

According to Johann Wadephul, it was also important for him to make it clear to the Russian delegation that Germany would not tolerate incidents such as the attempted drone attack at Leipzig Airport.

“There are indeed fundamental differences between our governments’ positions that also need to be addressed. Even during the Cold War, there was always an exchange of views and contact between the two sides. That is why I felt it was right to seek an initial opportunity for such a dialogue precisely now,” Wadephul added.

The German politician acknowledged that he found no willingness on the part of the Russian delegation to engage with his appeal for negotiations to end the war. However, he assured that he had not discussed the future of Ukraine with Lavrov—as that is a matter for “the Ukrainians themselves”—but made it unequivocally clear to the Russian Foreign Minister that Berlin would continue to provide comprehensive support to Kyiv and maintain economic pressure on Moscow.
DW.

— @jurgen_nauditt Sep 27, 2026