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German and Russian foreign ministers hold rare bilateral meeting at United Nations

PBS NewsHour reports that Johann Wadephul and Sergey Lavrov met amid heightened tensions between Berlin and Moscow.

Updated Sep 27, 2026 · 06:19 UTC3 reports

The short version

  • German Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul and Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov held a roughly 20-minute meeting at the UN General Assembly, believed to be their first direct bilateral discussion since 2022.[PBS NewsHour]
  • A German official stated Wadephul urged Moscow to stop escalating tensions toward Germany and NATO, while Lavrov reported that nothing new emerged from the conversation.[PBS NewsHour]
  • Bilateral relations had recently deteriorated following an attempted drone attack at Leipzig airport that Berlin attributed to Moscow.[PBS NewsHour]
  • Lavrov subsequently rejected permanent UN Security Council seats for Germany and Japan during his assembly speech, leaving the prospects for diplomatic progress uncertain.[PBS NewsHour]

Key facts

  • The German and Russian foreign ministers met on September 26, 2026, marking what is believed to be their first face-to-face meeting since Russia's 2022 invasion of Ukraine.[PBS NewsHour]
  • The meeting lasted approximately 20 minutes in a room arranged by the Russian side and concluded with a handshake.[PBS NewsHour]
  • Johann Wadephul urged Russia to cease escalation toward Germany, Europe, and NATO, tying better ties to Russia's willingness to end the war in Ukraine.[PBS NewsHour]
  • Sergey Lavrov publicly stated after the encounter that nothing new came from the conversation.[PBS NewsHour]
  • Relations had soured recently following an attempted drone attack at Leipzig airport, an incident Germany blamed on Russia.[PBS NewsHour]
  • In his General Assembly speech, Lavrov defended the war in Ukraine and opposed permanent UN Security Council seats for Germany and Japan.[PBS NewsHour]

What remains uncertain

  • It remains unknown whether the brief exchange will lead to any further diplomatic dialogue or reduce tensions surrounding recent security incidents.[PBS NewsHour]

Sources

Outlet counts describe coverage, not independent confirmation. Reports may share a wire service or original source.