Kremlin Denies Lavrov Fell Out of Favor with Putin
Speculation that Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov lost favor with President Vladimir Putin is false, Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov affirmed on November 7.
"I will give you a brief answer: there is nothing true in these reports," Peskov said during a briefing with Russian media. "Lavrov is working as the foreign minister, of course."
Context of the Speculation
The rumors arose after reports suggested Lavrov’s influence declined following a phone call with U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio. The conversation reportedly contributed to the cancellation of a planned Budapest summit between Putin and the U.S. president.
- Lavrov, although a permanent member of the Russian Security Council, was absent from a key meeting chaired by Putin on November 5, prompting questions about his Kremlin standing.
- He also lost his role as head of the Russian delegation at the G20 summit, which will now be led by Maxim Oreshkin, deputy head of Russia’s presidential administration.
Details of the Cancelled Summit
On October 21, Lavrov spoke with Rubio to negotiate terms for the Budapest summit. After this call, Rubio reportedly advised the U.S. president to cancel the meeting.
Sources told Reuters that the summit was canceled due to the Kremlin's inflexible demands, including excessive concessions and refusal to accept a ceasefire in Ukraine.
The summit's cancellation was soon followed by the first U.S. sanctions on Russia since the President’s return to office, targeting oil giants Rosneft and Lukoil.
Author’s Summary
The Kremlin refutes rumors that Lavrov lost influence despite diplomatic setbacks and a shift in Russia’s summit delegation leadership.