Russia Talks: Germany Warns, Lavrov Dismisses

The foreign ministers of Russia and Germany met in New York on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly. It was their first meeting since Russia's 2022 invasion of Ukraine. But the talks produced no breakthrough. German Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul urged Russia "to abandon the dangerous path of escalation vis-a-vis Germany, Europe, and Nato," according to a delegation source. He also said incidents such as an attempted drone attack in Leipzig would not weaken Germany's support for Ukraine. Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov rejected the warning. He accused Germany of being Ukraine's main sponsor and of seeking to become a leading military power in Europe. "Does Berlin understand what this could lead to?" Lavrov asked in a speech to world leaders. "Didn't they learn the lessons of world war two?" Lavrov later told a press conference that "nothing new" came from the talks. "I told him that frankly … you could just have called me and said: 'read my statement,'" he said. "He simply reiterated his official public position condemning Russia." The ministers did discuss bilateral ties and the war in Ukraine, officials from both sides said. Wadephul asked Lavrov to do "everything possible to reach an agreement on grain exports via the Black Sea," a German delegation source said. Wadephul informed European allies about the meeting afterwards. "I used this opportunity to reiterate our position on Russia's war of aggression against Ukraine and to call for an immediate and complete ceasefire, most pressingly with a focus on grain exports, and the energy infrastructure," he wrote. After the meeting, Lavrov addressed the assembly. He defended Russia's war in Ukraine, criticized the West, and condemned the militarization of Japan. He said Russia will veto any attempt by Germany and Japan to gain permanent seats on the UN Security Council. A large majority of UN member nations have repeatedly condemned Russia's invasion of Ukraine. Wadephul noted this in his own speech on Saturday. "Russia's war targets the lives of millions of innocent people, the existence of the Ukrainian state and culture and the European peace order," he said. He urged Russia to negotiate an end to the fighting. The talks took place as fighting continued. US President Donald Trump said he hoped Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy would "settle" with Russia's Vladimir Putin. Russia has launched heavy missile and drone attacks on Ukraine in recent months. Ukraine's long-range drones have targeted Russian oil refineries and businesses. "It is essential that our partners not forget: Russia is escalating every single day," Zelenskyy wrote on Saturday. "If the Russians have chosen to make their strikes even more brutal, the world must choose stronger responses to keep the war from spreading further." Ukrainian officials said Russian attacks killed four people on Saturday. Russian authorities said a Ukrainian drone attack killed three. In Kyiv, residents are preparing for power cuts, drone attacks, and a cold winter by stocking up on generators, food, and "dry showers." Russia has also opened a new front in the war: hitting several data centers and internet providers in Kyiv this week. The attacks appear aimed at weakening Ukraine's digital economy.