Russia's foreign minister, Sergey Lavrov, caused a stir at the G20 foreign ministers' meeting in Atlanta, according to DIE ZEIT. The German outlet reports that Lavrov insulted his German counterpart, Johann Wadephul, during the gathering.
Coverage cited in the reporting indicates the exchange was sharp. Spiegel, in a subscriber article, said Lavrov berated Wadephul and was in turn courted by US Secretary of State Marco Rubio. WEB.DE reported that Wadephul refused a photo and that Lavrov responded pointedly.
The meeting's group photograph became an issue in its own right. BILD reported that no G20 family photo was taken after a reversal, while tagesschau.de described Russia as keeping its distance at the Atlanta talks.
The reports, as summarized by DIE ZEIT, place the dispute in the context of the war in Ukraine, which has shaped Russia's relations with Germany and other G20 members. The material available does not give further detail on what was said or on the positions each side set out.
What to watch next: whether Berlin or Moscow issues formal statements on the exchange, and whether the photo dispute affects the remaining G20 agenda.
