Russia rebuffs German pleas to halt escalatory course toward Berlin

Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov dismissed German concerns about what he called a "dangerous path of escalation," countering that Berlin itself was fueling tensions by serving as Ukraine's principal military sponsor and seeking to establish itself as Europe's leading military power. Speaking at the UN General Assembly, Lavrov questioned whether Germany had learned from its World War II history, asking pointedly: "Does Berlin understand what this could lead to?"

The Russian minister's comments came shortly after he met with German Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul on the sidelines of the gathering on Saturday—believed to be the first high-level bilateral discussion between Moscow and Berlin since Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022. Lavrov characterized the encounter as unproductive, suggesting that Wadephul had simply reiterated established positions condemning Russia rather than engaging in genuine dialogue.

"He simply reiterated his official public position condemning Russia," Lavrov said of the German minister. "You can judge for yourself whether that counts as dialogue or not."

The meeting took place at Wadephul's request, preceding Lavrov's address to world leaders, where he also leveled criticism at Japan's military development. The exchange underscores the deep divisions between Moscow and Western nations over the Ukraine conflict.