Johann Wadephul

German Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul met his Russian counterpart Sergei Lavrov in the first talks between the two countries' top diplomats since Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine. Defending the move, Wadephul said: "You have to negotiate with adversaries." The meeting marks a notable shift in Germany's diplomatic stance toward Moscow and is drawing wide attention and debate about whether dialogue with Russia is appropriate now.

Germany's Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul met his Russian counterpart for the first time since Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine began. Wadephul told Moscow that Russia must end its war of aggression against Ukraine and cease hostile actions against Germany and its allies, saying Germany stands firmly behind Ukraine.

German Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul met his Russian counterpart Sergei Lavrov, the first meeting of the two countries' top diplomats since Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine. Wadephul explained on German television, during the UN General Assembly, how the encounter with Lavrov came about. The talks mark a notable diplomatic contact between Berlin and Moscow at a time when the war in Ukraine continues.

German Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul met Russian counterpart Sergey Lavrov for about 20 minutes at the United Nations, urging Moscow to halt hybrid attacks and further escalation against Germany, Europe and NATO. The German delegation said Wadephul cited an attempted attack in Leipzig as an example of Russian hostile activity. The meeting marks a rare direct exchange between the two governments at a time of heightened tensions over sabotage, disinformation and the war in Ukraine.

German Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul briefed Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha by phone about his meeting with Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov. Kyiv stressed being kept informed of any contacts involving Moscow. The call comes as European capitals closely monitor diplomatic exchanges with Russia over the ongoing war in Ukraine.

German Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul defended his meeting with Russian counterpart Sergei Lavrov, saying in comments reported by Tagesschau that 'you have to negotiate with opponents.' The remarks, circulating on German-language social media, touch a sensitive nerve in the Ukraine debate, where any high-level contact with Moscow is closely watched for signals of a shift in Germany's stance on talks with Russia.

Johann Wadephul is Germany's foreign minister, and searches for his name are rising after reports that he met Russian counterpart Sergei Lavrov in New York. According to Bild, this was the first meeting between the German and Russian foreign ministers since 2022, making it a notable diplomatic moment amid the ongoing war in Ukraine. German readers appear to be looking up who Wadephul is and what the talks involved, though the posts collected do not detail the outcome.