According to Peskov, the rumors about the conflict between Sergei Lavrov and Vladimir Putin are “completely untrue.” A Kremlin spokesman, quoted by TASS, emphasized that the Foreign Minister had not been removed from his duties.
However, his statement lacked a clear assurance that Lavrov still enjoys the full trust of Russia's highest authorities and will lead all future diplomatic initiatives.
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The confusion was caused by publications in the Russian media, including the Kommersant newspaper, which drew attention to Lavrov's absence during the meeting of the Security Council of the Russian Federation on November 5.
In the last two weeks, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs did not publish information about Lavrov's planned trips or speeches. Additionally, the politician lost his role as head of the delegation to the upcoming G20 summit in Brazil.
The Moscow Times claimed that the reason for Lavrov's alleged removal was unsuccessful talks with US representatives regarding the organization of a meeting between Donald Trump and Vladimir Putin in Budapest. The fiasco was to result in the minister's exclusion from the most important diplomatic projects.
In an article published by the Financial Times, the quoted informant stated that 75-year-old Lavrov is clearly tired and reluctant to engage in contacts with the US, regardless of Putin's expectations.
On Friday, the spokeswoman of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Maria Zakharova, suggested that the Western media's publications are intended to fuel speculation and are part of a “hybrid war against Russia.”
