German foreign minister to travel to Ukraine, Russia early next week

German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock will travel to Kiev on Monday, continuing on to Moscow to discuss topics including the Russia-Ukraine conflict, a ministry spokesman told a regular government briefing on Friday. Berlin hoped talks would nonetheless continue, a German government spokesperson said on Friday.

German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock will travel to Kyiv on Monday, continuing on to Moscow to discuss topics including the Russia-Ukraine conflict, a ministry spokesman told a regular government briefing on Friday. Russia's government had already announced on Thursday that Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov would hold his first in-person meeting with Baerbock on Tuesday.

Earlier this month, Baerbock stressed the necessity of a dialogue with Moscow to de-escalate tensions between Russia and Ukraine. But Russia called talks with Western powers "disappointing" this week. Berlin hoped talks would nonetheless continue, a German government spokesperson said on Friday.