Johann Wadephul
German politician (CDU), Federal Foreign Minister, Member of the Bundestag
Photo: Foto-AG Gymnasium Melle, CC BY 3.0 (Wikimedia Commons, cropped)
- 17h ago
Germany's 2027 budget draft omits aid for surviving Polish victims of Nazi occupation
The 2027 draft budget in Berlin contains no funds for Polish survivors of Nazi occupation, and even supportive Bundestag members consider changes before adoption unlikely.
- 2d ago
Wadephul says Russia targets all of Europe as Tusk urges tougher sanctions
German foreign minister Johann Wadephul told the Warsaw Security Forum that Europe must tighten cooperation after a drone attack plot at Leipzig airport. Donald Tusk, after meeting Lithuania's prime minister, argued that the EU should strengthen Russia sanctions rather than weaken them.
- 3d ago
Germany holds two Turkish suspects over arson at Polish Starlink station, more arrests follow
A court in Nürtingen ordered two Turkish nationals held in pretrial custody on 13 October 2026 while Poland seeks their extradition over a 23 September fire at a Starlink station in Masovia.
- 3d ago
EU adopts about 1,600 new sanctions listings targeting Russia's war-linked military industry
The EU's foreign ministers formally approved the listings on Monday, 12 October 2026, lifting the total of people and entities sanctioned over the war in Ukraine to nearly 4,600. The move follows a US-Russia diesel arrangement that European governments criticised.
- Oct 8
Italy mitigates foreign ministry cyberattack as Moscow dismisses election warning
Automated security systems successfully contained an assault targeting the Italian foreign ministry website on Thursday with zero service disruptions. The incident occurred as Moscow rejected Italian warnings regarding Russian interference in the 2027 parliamentary elections.
- Oct 3
ISW challenges Putin territorial claims as drone operations target Russian positions
At the Valdai Forum, Vladimir Putin claimed Russian forces took 1,301 square kilometers in September 2026, but ISW data indicates a net loss of 80.81 square kilometers.
- Oct 1
German Chancellor Friedrich Merz falls to 10% approval in ARD poll
A survey conducted by Infratest dimap for broadcaster ARD shows only 10% of German voters approve of Chancellor Friedrich Merz, the lowest rating for any chancellor since polling began in 1997, as the AfD leads federal voting intentions at 27%.
- Oct 1
Germany completes military withdrawal from Iraq as last 28 soldiers return from Erbil
The final contingent of 28 Bundeswehr personnel landed at Wunstorf Air Base on Thursday following the handover of their Erbil camp to Iraqi authorities, ending an 11-year mission.
- Oct 1
Russia launches 107 drones at Ukraine as ground forces stall around Lyman
Ukrainian air defenses intercepted or jammed 87 incoming drones by 08:00, while overnight strikes injured two people across Kyiv and Odesa and killed a 50-year-old man in Mykolaiv.
- Sep 28
Russia places German retailer Metro AG assets under state temporary control
President Vladimir Putin signed Decree No. 302 transferring operational management of Metro AG's Russian wholesale business and Noginsk logistics hub to UK Torg Rus, stripping the German retail group of operational control over 91 locations.
- Sep 27
Netherlands summons Israeli envoy after Israel revokes credentials of Ramallah diplomats
Dutch Foreign Minister Tom Berendsen summoned the Israeli ambassador in The Hague after Israel revoked the diplomatic status of eight Dutch officials based in Ramallah in response to a Dutch ban on settlement goods.
- Sep 26
Lavrov and Wadephul hold first German-Russian talks since 2022 at UN General Assembly
Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov met German counterpart Johann Wadephul for 20 minutes in New York as Donald Trump pushed for a peace deal before winter.
- Sep 26
Lavrov Accuses Europe of Blocking Ukraine Peace Talks in UN Assembly Speech
Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov told the United Nations General Assembly that Moscow will achieve its military goals in Ukraine, accusing European governments of obstructing peace negotiations supported by the Trump administration.
- Sep 26
German foreign minister Wadephul meets Russian counterpart Lavrov in New York
German Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul held bilateral talks with Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov at the United Nations in New York, their first direct meeting since 2022.
- Sep 24
US aviation sanctions strand Iranian flights as UN delegates clash in New York
New US sanctions targeting aircraft servicing led to widespread cancellations of Iranian flights, complicating the return of President Masoud Pezeshkian from the UN General Assembly while regional military strikes escalated.
- Sep 3
Poland summons Russian ambassador over hybrid attacks and Leipzig drone incident
Warsaw delivered a formal protest to Ambassador Georgy Mikhno in solidarity with Germany, citing airspace violations and explosive drone sabotage attempts at Leipzig airport.
- Sep 2
Germany blames Russia for Leipzig airport drone attack and shuts Bonn consulate
German authorities identified two Russian-linked suspects behind an explosive drone plot targeting a Ukrainian Antonov transport plane at Leipzig/Halle airport, prompting Berlin to close Russian diplomatic offices.
- Sep 1
Germany blames Russia for Leipzig airport drone plot and shuts Bonn consulate
German authorities have formally attributed an August drone attack attempt targeting Ukrainian transport aircraft at Leipzig/Halle airport to Russian intelligence, ordering the closure of Russia's Bonn consulate and canceling the lease of the Russian House in Berlin.
- Jul 22
German Foreign Minister Wadephul urges business flexibility on Africa trip, eyes raw materials and energy ties
On his third Africa trip this year, Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul called on German companies to be more flexible in investing on the continent, citing Nigeria's 240-million-strong market and the need to diversify away from China for critical raw materials.
- Jun 29
Germany delays 'humanitarian gesture' for Polish Nazi victims as 1,000 die each month
Berlin has yet to approve a concrete Polish proposal for annual compensation to some 50,000 surviving victims of Nazi occupation, despite a December pledge by Chancellor Friedrich Merz to act on his government’s historical responsibility. Critics call the inaction a 'disgrace' as around 1,000 elderly victims die each month while the plan remains stuck in inter-ministerial talks.
