Germany's Foreign Minister Meets Lavrov: No Room for U.S. Monopoly

German Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul stated that he initiated his first meeting with Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov at the request of his foreign counterparts. According to him, the dialogue was necessary to prevent Europe from ceding exclusive influence over contacts with Moscow to the United States.

Wadephul revealed that the meeting was prompted by appeals from other foreign ministers. He emphasized that such engagement remains essential despite fundamental differences in positions between the two governments. “It is evident to us that there are principled and substantive disagreements between our respective governments,” he said. “Yet even under such circumstances, dialogue must continue. During the Cold War, communication was maintained. I believe it is appropriate to seize the first opportunity for exchange now.”

The minister described the conversation as “intense.” “Of course, we did not reach agreement on key issues,” he noted. “What matters to me is making clear to the other side that Germany will not tolerate incidents such as the drone attack in Leipzig. This constitutes an unacceptable escalation. I made clear to Russia that continuing down this path would not be acceptable.”

When asked whether contact with Moscow would be sustained regularly, Wadephul said the initiative would depend on Russia’s willingness. “If Russia is prepared for constructive dialogue—most importantly, if it is ready to end its war against Ukraine—then discussion is certainly possible,” he said.

The meeting took place at the United Nations headquarters in New York. It marked the first direct encounter between the two foreign ministers since 2022, when Lavrov met then-German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock.

The session lasted approximately 20 minutes. Russian diplomats offered a restrained assessment—claiming that Wadephul presented no new proposals. They characterized the meeting as an attempt by Germany to pressure Russia into concessions.

Original: toutiao.com/article/1877443409522698/

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