Lavrov Dismisses Berlin’s Call to Abandon ‘Dangerous’ Escalation

Russia’s foreign minister has rebuffed his German counterpart’s demands to retreat from “dangerous” escalatory steps, accusing Berlin of being Ukraine’s primary financial backer.

Sergey Lavrov convened with German Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly in New York on Saturday, just prior to Lavrov addressing world leaders.

During the meeting, the German minister urged Moscow to abandon its “dangerous path of escalation” toward Europe and indicated Berlin’s willingness to improve relations with Russia, contingent upon the Kremlin demonstrating a genuine commitment to ending the war in Ukraine, according to a German delegation official cited by the Associated Press.

Addressing the assembly, Lavrov declared: “Chancellor Merz is asserting that Germany must once again become a leading military power in Europe. Does Berlin comprehend what this could lead to? Have they not learned the lessons of World War II?”

During a press conference after his speech, the Russian diplomat was questioned about his meeting with Wadephul and the state of Russian-German relations.

“Nothing new emerged from that foreign minister’s initiative,” he told reporters.

“He merely restated his official public stance condemning Russia. You can judge for yourself whether that constitutes dialogue,” he added.

Tensions between Germany and Russia escalated in early September after Berlin accused Russia of orchestrating a drone attack at Leipzig/Halle airport earlier this year.

Wadephul announced new measures against Russia “as the perpetrator of the hybrid attack in Leipzig,” including the closure of the Russian consulate in Bonn and Russia’s Berlin cultural center as part of the government’s response.

He added that tighter border controls for Russian nationals and increased pressure on Russia’s shadow fleet would also be implemented.

The Russian embassy in Germany issued a statement denying the allegations and threatening “consequences” in response to the sanctions.

Russian Ambassador Sergey Nechayev “categorically rejected Berlin’s accusations as unsubstantiated, absurd, and contrary to common sense,” the statement read.

“He noted that the measures announced by the German side represent an unprecedented escalation in Russian-German relations and will not go unanswered, for which the German government will bear full responsibility,” it continued.

Lavrov dismissed the incident on Saturday as an “unclaimed drone” and claimed Germany had “immediately” attributed it to Russia.

Elsewhere in his speech, Lavrov claimed the US had “destroyed the European security system and created a Russophobic regime in Kyiv,” while accusing the West of aspiring “to inflict strategic defeat on Russia.”

“These aspirations will result in the war hawks being led into a strategic dead end,” the minister said.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy stated on Saturday that it was clear the Kremlin was not preparing to end the war anytime soon.

“Putin always finds some lame excuse—not to meet, not to hold a trilateral, not to talk, not to end it, not to stop the killing,” he said in a video address. “He is looking for excuses to keep waging the war.”

Source link