Lavrov defends war on Ukraine after rare talks with German minister

Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov met German counterpart Johann Wadephul on Saturday on the sidelines of the U.N. General Assembly, discussing Ukraine and bilateral ties in what is believed to be their first such meeting since Russia's 2022 invasion. Lavrov then addressed the assembly, defending Russia's war and accusing Europe of blocking peace talks. Both Russia and Ukraine have escalated attacks after what was called the deadliest summer since 2022.