Overview

• In his first UN General Assembly address, Johann Wadephul called Gaza “hell on earth,” urged an immediate end to the war, demanded the release of hostages, and pressed for far better humanitarian access.
• He welcomed fresh U.S. diplomacy on Gaza and warned implementation will prove hardest, while expressing doubts about sending German personnel to any prospective international mission in the territory.
• Speaking shortly after Sergei Lavrov, Wadephul condemned Russia’s invasion of Ukraine as a violation of the UN Charter in a pointed rebuttal to Moscow’s narrative.
• On Iran, he backed the E3-triggered reactivation of UN measures and kept open the prospect of renewed nuclear negotiations.
• He campaigned for Germany’s 2027/28 non‑permanent Security Council seat with calls for UN reform and development priorities, as Austria and Portugal vie for the same slots and Germany’s refusal to recognize a Palestinian state is seen as a potential headwind.