German and Russian foreign ministers hold rare talks as tensions with Europe rise

Russia's foreign minister, Sergei Lavrov, and his German counterpart, Johann Wadephul, held a rare direct exchange amid rising tensions between Moscow and European capitals, according to a report by Al Jazeera.

During the talks, Wadephul reportedly urged Russia to step back from what he described as a dangerous path of escalation with Europe. Lavrov dismissed the characterization, according to the report, without the Russian side conceding the premise that its actions constitute escalation.

The exchange comes against the backdrop of Russia's ongoing war in Ukraine and broader friction between Moscow and Western European governments over security, sanctions and diplomatic engagement. Direct high-level contact between Russian and German officials has been limited since the start of the full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022, making any such exchange notable.

Neither ministry immediately published a full transcript or detailed readout of the conversation beyond the points reported, and it remains unclear whether the talks are expected to lead to further diplomatic engagement between the two countries.