Russia’s Sergei Lavrov and Germany’s Johann Wadephul held their first talks since before the 2022 full-scale invasion of Ukraine at the UN General Assembly on Saturday. Wadephul urged Russia to reach a Black Sea grain-export deal as exports remained sharply curtailed.
Russian and Ukrainian exports via the Black Sea have been sharply curtailed in recent months as both countries targeted each other’s port infrastructure and vessels. Ukraine and its allies are pushing for a limited ceasefire in the Black Sea and a halt to strikes on energy infrastructure; Russia has not publicly given a clear indication that it supports the initiatives.
Relations between Moscow and Berlin have been frozen since the invasion. Germany said it concluded Russia was responsible for an attempted drone attack at Leipzig/Halle Airport in August and ordered the closure of a consulate and a Russian cultural centre in Berlin. Russia’s embassy dismissed the allegations as fabricated. Wadephul urged Russia to end what he called a dangerous path of escalation toward Germany, Europe and NATO, and said such incidents would not shake Germany’s support for Ukraine.
