German foreign minister warns Lavrov over Leipzig drone attack and NATO threats

Germany's foreign minister, Johann Wadephul, held an unannounced meeting with Russia's foreign minister, Sergey Lavrov, in New York on Saturday, the first direct talks between the two countries' top diplomats since Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine began in 2022. The meeting took place on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly. Accounts of how long it lasted differ: German news agency dpa and Romanian outlet Digi24 put it at just over 20 minutes, while POLITICO Europe reported about 30 minutes.

A German official who was granted anonymity to discuss the talks said Wadephul told Lavrov to abandon Russia's "dangerous path of escalation" toward Germany, Europe and NATO. The official said Wadephul also raised Russia's attacks on Ukrainian civilians and made clear that incidents such as a drone that targeted Leipzig airport in August would not weaken Germany's support for Ukraine, though they were further straining relations between Berlin and Moscow.

Speaking to German broadcaster ZDF after the meeting, Wadephul described it as an intense exchange in which the two sides did not agree on key points. He said he had made clear that Germany would not accept incidents such as the Leipzig drone and was prepared to defend itself against further hybrid attacks.

Germany's government concluded on 1 September that Russian intelligence services were behind the attempted drone attack on a Ukrainian cargo plane at Leipzig airport in early August. Berlin responded by closing Russia's consulate in Bonn and ending the agreement covering Berlin's Russian House cultural centre; Moscow, which called the accusation fabricated, ordered Germany's consulate in St Petersburg and the remaining Goethe Institute branches in Russia to close. Germany later asked more than 150 staff at Russian diplomatic missions and their family members to leave the country, according to Polish outlet TVP World, which cited Russia's embassy in Berlin.

On 22 September, a crashed drone and suspected explosive material were found near the Bundeswehr's Wunstorf air base in Lower Saxony, and German investigators are examining a possible link to the Leipzig incident. Earlier in the week, Wadephul and Lavrov had also clashed during a UN Security Council session, each accusing the other's country of dangerous conduct in Europe.

The two ministers also discussed the Black Sea grain trade. Wadephul urged Lavrov to reach an agreement on exports, while Lavrov said Russia was in talks with India, Egypt and Turkey on safe shipping and blamed Ukraine for attacks on shipping. Ukraine's foreign minister, Andrii Sybiha, said on social media that Wadephul briefed him afterwards and that he was grateful for Germany's reaffirmed support and warning against further hostile action toward Europe. Russia's foreign ministry spokesperson, Maria Zakharova, said Germany had requested the meeting, while Wadephul said he had agreed to it after Lavrov signalled a willingness to talk through intermediaries.

In Germany, Wadephul faced domestic criticism over the talks; one unnamed politician quoted by Polish outlet Onet said Lavrov had completely sidelined the minister. At a press conference afterwards, Lavrov said he had not learned anything from Wadephul that Berlin had not already said publicly.