Diplomacy & Geopolitics
Germany 'wants war again', Russia's Lavrov says
Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said Germany "wants war again" in an interview published Sunday, rejecting Berlin's accusation that Moscow was behind an explosive-laden drone incident at Leipzig airport.
The German government has blamed Russia for the incident, saying Moscow sent "low-level agents" for an attempted "hybrid attack" at the strategic airport in eastern Germany. German officials have said the drone was found near a Ukrainian cargo plane on August 4.
In remarks partly published by Russia's Vesti TV channel, Lavrov linked the dispute to German diplomatic measures and the closure of cultural centres by Moscow and Berlin. He also accused Germany of Nazism and said Russia's leadership would draw "appropriate conclusions".
Britain summoned Russia's charge d'affaires on Thursday over the same incident. A British foreign ministry spokesperson called it an "egregious and reckless" attack and said Britain would continue to expose Russian hostile activity.
Russia's Embassy in London said Charge D'Affaires Vasily Tsyganov rejected what it called "baseless and absurd accusations" and accused Kyiv's allies of a "coordinated provocation".
Berlin has announced measures including shutting a Russian consulate and ending the contract for a Russian cultural centre in Berlin. EU countries also summoned Russian envoys, and EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas said foreign ministers agreed to keep working on sanctions linked to Russia's military industry.
Russian President Vladimir Putin called Germany's retaliatory actions "a mistake, a serious one". Germany is one of Ukraine's main allies as Russia's war against Ukraine has dragged on for more than four-and-a-half years.
Update
Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said Germany "wants war again" in an interview published Sunday.
Lavrov dismissed Berlin's accusation that Russia was behind the Leipzig airport drone incident.
Lavrov accused Germany of Nazism and said Russia's leadership would draw "appropriate conclusions".
Moscow and Berlin closed each other's cultural centres this week, according to the item.
Source note: AFP news report published on 6 September 2026 at 11:56:22 UTC.
Update
Russia's Embassy said Charge D'Affaires Vasily Tsyganov received the official protest at the Foreign Office.
The embassy said the accusations were "baseless and absurd" and were categorically rejected.
The embassy accused Kyiv's allies of "coordinated provocation" and warned that any escalation would receive an "appropriate and carefully calibrated response".
Andrei Kelin has left as Russia's most recent ambassador to London, and Tsyganov is the only senior diplomat named on the embassy's website.
Source note: AFP news report published on 3 September 2026 at 13:19:25 UTC.
Update
Britain's foreign ministry said it summoned Russia's charge d'affaires, described as Russia's most senior diplomat in the UK.
A British foreign ministry spokesperson called the Leipzig incident an "egregious and reckless attack" and said it was part of what the UK viewed as a pattern of Russian attempts to undermine collective security.
Russia has called the allegations "absurd".
Source note: AFP news report published on 3 September 2026 at 11:25:20 UTC.
Update
The UK summoned a senior Russian diplomat over the Germany drone incident.
Source note: AFP news report published on 3 September 2026 at 11:10:23 UTC.
Update
EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas said ministers agreed to keep working on sanctions against 1,600 people and entities linked to Russia's military industry, hoping to adopt them next month.
Kallas said there was broad consensus to continue work on banning visas for Russians who fought in Ukraine and increasing restrictions for Russian tourists.
Kallas said there had been new pledges of air-defence missiles for Ukraine, without giving details.
Lithuanian Foreign Minister Kestutis Budrys called for more action to raise the political cost for Russia over alleged hybrid activity.
Source note: AFP news report published on 2 September 2026 at 16:20:42 UTC.
Update
EU foreign ministers were set to discuss work on sanctions against 1,600 individuals and entities linked to Russia's military industry.
European officials including Kaja Kallas, Johann Wadephul, Radoslaw Sikorski and Emmanuel Macron described the Leipzig drone incident as part of Russian hybrid activity or hybrid war.
Discussion resurfaced on whether to use about 200 billion euros of frozen Russian central bank assets to fund Ukraine.
Ukraine's foreign minister supported serious discussion on using immobilised Russian assets.
Source note: AFP news report published on 2 September 2026 at 12:58:35 UTC.
Update
Russia summoned Germany's envoy to protest what Moscow called anti-Russian actions.
Source note: AFP news report published on 2 September 2026 at 12:11:18 UTC.
Update
EU foreign ministers were discussing sanctions on 1,600 individuals and entities linked to Russia's military industry.
French Foreign Minister Jean-Noel Barrot said France had summoned Russia's envoy in Paris.
Lithuanian Foreign Minister Kestutis Budrys called for Europe to increase pressure on Russia.
Source note: AFP news report published on 2 September 2026 at 08:02:31 UTC.
Update
EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas said the Leipzig incident had “all the hallmarks of state-sponsored terrorism”.
Source note: AFP news report published on 2 September 2026 at 07:02:49 UTC.
Uncertainty notes
Responsibility for the Leipzig airport drone incident remains disputed in the supplied material.
Lavrov did not specify what "appropriate conclusions" Russia's leadership would draw.
Source
AFP news report published on .