Russian President Vladimir Putin and Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov
According to some reports, he fell into disgrace; according to others, he is tired and thinks he has more to do. But the Kremlin categorically denies the rumors that have circulated in recent weeks about the possible dismissal of Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov.
An important ally of the Russian President Vladimir Putin stated on Friday that the news circulating in the media about an alleged “loss of favor” by the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Sergey Lavrov “are completely false”.
It’s “completely false” that Lavrov has fallen from grace, says Putin’s spokesman, cited by , at a time when comments about the veteran head of Russian diplomacy are increasing.
The Russian diplomat remains in his positionassured the Kremlin spokesman, Dmitry Peskovduring a press conference with journalists.
On Thursday, the , an independent media outlet based in the Netherlands, reported that Putin will have removed Lavrov and that the minister had disappeared from public view.
Reports that Putin was dissatisfied with Lavrov’s performance emerged after the North American president, Donald Trumphaving abruptly canceled the planned summit with the Russian leader in Budapest last month.
Fueling the rumors that have multiplied in recent days on social media, Sergey Lavrov was not present in the Kremlin on Wednesday, when Putin said he was considering resuming nuclear weapons testing.
According to , a Russian business media outlet linked to the Kremlin, Lavrov was absent from the meeting “with prior agreement“.
According to the Russian Foreign Ministry website, Lavrov’s last public appearance was on October 28, when he participated in the Minsk International Conference on Eurasian Security, in the Belarusian capital.
Lavrov, 76, also will not lead the Russian delegation at this year’s G20 summit, although it normally plays that role. The Kremlin announced this week that he will be the deputy head of Putin’s administration, Maxim Oreshkinrepresenting Russia at the summit, which takes place in Johannesburg at the end of this month.
The reported at the end of last month that the US decided to cancel the Budapest meeting on the war in Ukraine following a telephone call between Lavrov and the US Secretary of State Marco Rubioallegedly due to the Russian diplomat’s uncompromising stance.
As a source familiar with the matter told the FT, “Sergey Lavrov is clearly tired and seems to think he has better things to do than to meet or dialogue with the United States, regardless of what President Putin wants.”
The Telegram channel, with 400,000 subscribers, cited unidentified sources as saying that Putin had “a serious conversation” with Lavrov after his call with Rubio.
“Lavrov was not prepared for the conversation with Rubio and conducted it in an extremely tense way, refusing to dialogue with the Secretary of State from the USA. It is likely that Lavrov followed the Kremlin’s instructions too literal,” Nezygar sources said.
A source familiar with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs told Nezygar that the report in the Financial Times It was orchestrated and “very painful” for Lavrov, who subsequently reduced his public activity.
“The article contains many untruths and widespread accusations against the minister. But what is true is that Lavrov are you really tired and probably won more opponents inside the Kremlin,” the source said.
Lavrov has been a close ally of Putin and has led Russia’s diplomatic arm for 21 years. He is also a permanent member of the country’s Security Council. Apparently, despite rumors and even news to the contrary, he maintains his functions in the Kremlin.
