German Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul on Thursday called Russia's announced closure of Goethe-Institut branches "very regrettable" and "unjustified," saying the step would further damage already strained relations.
"The Goethe-Institut makes a valuable contribution every day to fruitful cultural relations and social exchange between Russia and Germany," Wadephul told local media on the sidelines of a meeting with his French and Polish counterparts in Weimar. "Against this background, the measure now announced by the Russian Federation is very regrettable because it is further damaging our relations."
Russia's Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said Thursday that Moscow would close Goethe-Institut offices in Moscow, St. Petersburg, and Yekaterinburg in response to Germany's decision to terminate an agreement on the Russian cultural center, the "Russian House of Science and Culture," in Berlin.
Lavrov rejected Germany's claims that Russian intelligence services were behind the Aug. 4 drone incident at Leipzig Airport, saying Berlin based its decision on the assumption that the drone resembled those used by Russia.
On Tuesday, Germany officially blamed Russia for the attempted drone attack at Leipzig Airport near Ukrainian cargo planes and announced extensive sanctions against Moscow. The measures include closing the Russian Consulate General in Bonn by Sept. 18, ending a 2011 German-Russian agreement on cultural centers, and forcing the closure of the Russian House in Berlin. Germany also ordered staff and their families to leave the country as soon as possible.
