Germany blames Russia for Leipzig drone attack as ministers meet

German Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul blamed Russia for an attempted drone attack on Leipzig airport and held a meeting with Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov at the United Nations on 26 September 2026. The meeting was the first between German and Russian foreign ministers since Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022. A German official said the talks lasted about 30 minutes, while Moscow's foreign ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said about 20 minutes.politico.eu+1

The accusation matters because it links a physical incident on German soil directly to Russian intelligence, and it was delivered in the middle of a diplomatic confrontation at the United Nations. Earlier in September, the German government accused Russian intelligence services of orchestrating the attempted drone attack on a Ukrainian cargo plane at Leipzig airport in eastern Germany. The charge pushed Berlin to impose sanctions, which Moscow answered with matching measures against Germany.

What the Leipzig accusation covers

Germany's response to the Leipzig accusation included closing Russia's consulate in Bonn. Moscow replied by closing Germany's consulate in St Petersburg. The consulate closures marked a rare, symmetrical diplomatic penalty between the two countries and came as European governments, including Germany, warned of increased Russian sabotage activity on their soil. Direct flights between Russia and Germany have been suspended since the invasion of Ukraine.straitstimes.com

Wadephul used the meeting to press the escalation point directly. A German official said Wadephul called on the Russian Federation to abandon its dangerous path of escalation toward Germany, Europe, and NATO. The same official said Wadephul condemned Russia's ongoing and increasingly targeted aggression against the Ukrainian civilian population, and stated that every month tens of thousands of Russian soldiers die in a hopeless war of attrition while the Russian economy continues to collapse.

The two sides could not agree on who asked for the meeting or how long it lasted. Zakharova said the meeting was initiated by Berlin and lasted about 20 minutes, and she claimed Wadephul had asked to meet Lavrov. Wadephul told German public television ZDF that he agreed to meet Lavrov after the Russian foreign minister, through third-party intermediaries, signalled a willingness to engage in talks. A German official put the meeting at about 30 minutes.

Where the two sides disagree

The Russian side did not provide a detailed readout of the meeting. Zakharova instead referred to a Russian report that questions the authenticity of the Bucha massacre, which appears to have been presented during the ministers' meeting. Before the talks, the German side demanded that media access be restricted and that opening remarks not be recorded, Zakharova said, according to the TASS news agency. The meeting itself was closed to media.

The two ministers had clashed days earlier at a United Nations Security Council meeting. Wadephul criticised what he called Russia's reckless and dangerous escalation in Europe, while Lavrov accused Europe of criminal methods. Lavrov has also recently accused Germany of wanting war again. The Security Council exchange and the Leipzig accusation together set the tone for the closed-door session on 26 September.

Wadephul also addressed the wider diplomatic track. He welcomed a United States invitation for Russian President Vladimir Putin to attend the G20 summit in Miami in December, calling it a litmus test for Putin and saying opportunities like this must be seized. He added a condition, saying a ceasefire is necessary in order to negotiate in earnest. The invitation raised the possibility of talks between Putin and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy in Florida.

What follows the UN meeting

The meeting took place against renewed efforts by the United States and its Western allies to restart peace talks between Russia and Ukraine. Wadephul said incidents such as the Leipzig attempted attack or other hybrid attacks would not shake Germany's determination to support Ukraine, but would further damage bilateral relations already severely strained by Russia. The German diplomat said Ukraine dominated the closed discussion.

The next fixed point on the diplomatic calendar is the G20 summit in Miami in December, to which the United States has invited Putin. Whether that summit produces direct talks between Putin and Zelenskyy remains open, and Wadephul has said a ceasefire is needed for serious negotiation. The Leipzig investigation and the consulate closures continue to shape the bilateral relationship in the meantime.