Kremlin Responds to Reports of Putin-Lavrov Disagreement Over Trump
A planned summit between the Russian and U.S. presidents was canceled following a call between Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov and U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio. Reports suggesting a conflict between President Vladimir Putin and Lavrov over this decision have been dismissed by the Kremlin.
Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov rejected claims that Putin had a dispute with Lavrov after the canceled meeting with President Donald Trump in Hungary. The proposed talks were intended to advance peace efforts in Ukraine but were abandoned after both sides concluded that no ceasefire was likely—a key condition for the U.S. administration.
“There is nothing true in these reports,” said Peskov, as quoted by the state news agency TASS. “Of course, Lavrov continues to serve as foreign minister.”
Trump has been working to end the war in Ukraine through a combination of economic pressure, including sanctions and secondary tariffs, and ongoing diplomatic outreach to Moscow. The Budapest meeting had been considered a potentially critical step toward that goal.
Lavrov did not attend this week’s in-person meeting of Russia’s Security Council permanent members, during which Putin instructed officials to prepare a report on potential nuclear test readiness. According to the newspaper Kommersant, Lavrov agreed in advance not to participate in the session despite his membership in the council.
Author's Summary
The Kremlin denied rumors of a rift between Putin and Lavrov, clarifying that the canceled Trump meeting was a strategic decision tied to stalled Ukraine peace efforts.