Kremlin Denies Lavrov Fell Out of Favor with Putin
Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov dismissed rumors that Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov lost favor with President Vladimir Putin. Speaking to Russian media on November 7, Peskov stated,
“I will give you a brief answer: there is nothing true in these reports. Lavrov is working as the foreign minister, of course.”
Context of Speculation
The speculation arose after Lavrov's absence from a key meeting chaired by Putin on November 5, which raised questions about his standing within the Kremlin. Additionally, Lavrov was replaced as head of the Russian delegation at the G20 summit by Maxim Oreshkin, deputy head of Russia's presidential administration.
Background of the Summit Cancellation
- Lavrov had a phone conversation with U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio on October 21, discussing terms for a planned Budapest summit between Putin and the U.S. president.
- Following their discussion, Rubio reportedly advised canceling the summit.
- Sources told Reuters the summit fell apart because of the Kremlin's inflexible negotiating position, demanding excessive concessions and refusing to agree to a ceasefire in Ukraine.
Aftermath
The cancellation was swiftly followed by the first U.S. sanctions on Russia since President Trump's return to office, targeting major oil companies Rosneft and Lukoil.
Author's Summary
The Kremlin firmly rejects claims of Lavrov's decline in influence, attributing summit cancellations and sanctions to diplomatic disagreements, not internal Kremlin dynamics.