Germany and Russia's foreign ministers have met for the first time since before Moscow launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022.

Johann Wadephul and Sergei Lavrov held brief talks on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly in New York. The meeting comes amid sharply worsening relations between Berlin and Moscow, just weeks after Germany accused Russia of being behind an attempted drone attack on Leipzig/Halle airport.

Wadephul called on Russia to abandon what Germany described as its "dangerous path of escalation" against Germany, Europe and NATO. So why did Berlin open a direct diplomatic channel with Moscow now, and could Germany's role in the Ukraine war be changing?

DW's Benjamin Alvarez Gruber reports from the United Nations.