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.

Sep 26

Recounting the Wadephul meeting, Lavrov denies Russian attacks on Indian, Egyptian and Turkish commercial vessels, accuses Ukraine and describes colleagues seeking bilateral safety guarantees. He cites an alleged tanker attack involving Chevron and calls for pressure on Kyiv. No attacker or completed guarantee is independently established by this account.