The departing German Ambassador to Moscow, Alexander Graf Lambsdorff, anticipates an imminent new military conscription in Russia. Speaking to Spiegel, Lambsdorff noted that “increasingly more people” in Moscow have been discussing a second possible draft of able-bodied men following the September Duma elections, and he shares the fear that Russians could again be mobilized on a larger scale.
Regarding the situation in Russia, the diplomat remains pessimistic. While he claims to be an optimist, he currently feels he can only look pessimistically toward Russia’s immediate future. Lambsdorff stated that Putin displays “no serious will to negotiate” an end to the war against Ukraine, indicating that the Russian leader seems extremely determined to continue the conflict until victory.
He also voiced concern over the escalating repression against critics of the Russian leadership, describing the situation as “terrible, a creeping re-Stalinization.” Furthermore, Lambsdorff highlighted the massive isolation of Russians from the West, which is enforced through state-run internet blockades.
In preparation for his departure this week, after three years in office, Lambsdorff was called in for a meeting at the Russian Foreign Ministry for the fifth time during his tenure. He described the climate during these appointments with Foreign Ministry spokesperson Maria Sacharova as “rather cool.” He recounted that even during greetings, diplomatic formality was tested: “Naturally, one shakes hands even among diplomats from states with big political difficulties with each other. Ms. Sacharova refused to do so.”
While he had access to the Kremlin, it was severely restricted, making interactions difficult and challenging. The ambassador declined to share granular details of his contacts, noting that engagement at higher levels was greatly limited. Germany is officially categorized as “unfriendly” by the Kremlin due to its support for Ukraine during the war against Russia. Lambsdorff is leaving Russia this week to transfer to Israel shortly thereafter.
