Lavrov recounts German talks Shipping and Bonn disputes

Sep 26

The press conference opens with Zakharova identifying Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov, who says he has just addressed the General Assembly. The following German-meeting passages occur later in the same recording. Lavrov gives a detailed account of his meeting that day with German Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul and answers a later question about why it took place. He says Berlin requested it at short notice and that Wadephul repeated familiar demands about Ukraine and Black Sea shipping. Lavrov denies that Russia attacked commercial vessels of India, Egypt or Turkey and instead accuses Ukraine; he refers to colleagues requesting bilateral guarantees and cites an alleged attack involving a tanker serving Chevron. These allegations and proposed guarantees are not verified findings or an announced agreement. He mocks Germany's attribution to Russia of the Leipzig explosive-drone incident. He complains about the decision to close Russia's Bonn consulate, argues that it conflicts with Germany's UN-host obligations and discusses the needs of UN-related personnel. In the return exchange he defends confidential dialogue, says Europe wants a place in negotiations and restates Russia's willingness to return to what he calls the Anchorage understandings. He claims European leaders undermined those understandings. The complete exchanges preserve his positions, prior-agreement comparisons and critical manner without turning them into a joint German–Russian readout.

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.