Wadephul and Merz’s position — Lavrov’s response

The opening explains who Wadephul and Lavrov are, their meeting in New York and its roughly 20-minute duration. Asked about Lavrov’s dismissive assessment, Wadephul describes sharp disagreements but defends talking and reiterating Germany’s position. Merz outlines a ceasefire first, territorial talks without recognizing Russian occupation, and continued support for Ukraine’s defense. Zakharova introduces Lavrov’s press conference. A dpa reporter asks what he told Wadephul and about German–Russian relations. Lavrov says Wadephul read familiar positions from notes, delivers his “read my speech” criticism, cites earlier agreements he alleges Germany and France failed to honor, and says Russia is ready to return to what he calls the Anchorage agreement. The last excerpt does not explain its terms. Edited comparison: Merz spoke on 13 August 2025, Wadephul and Lavrov on 26 September 2026; they are not a continuous exchange or a direct reply to Merz’s specific proposal.

Aug 13, 2025

In Berlin on 13 August 2025, before the Trump–Putin Anchorage summit, Chancellor Friedrich Merz sets out five German and European negotiating principles: Ukraine at the table; a ceasefire first, followed by a framework agreement; territorial talks starting from the contact line without legal recognition of Russian occupation; robust security guarantees, Ukrainian defense capability and long-term Western support; and a joint transatlantic strategy combining support with pressure on Russia. This is a dated public policy statement used to explain the position Wadephul refers to, not evidence that he cited this specific speech.