Kremlin denies Lavrov fell out of favor with Putin after canceled Trump summit

Kremlin Denies Rift Between Lavrov and Putin After Canceled Trump Summit

Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov dismissed reports suggesting that Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov had fallen out of 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 continues to serve as the foreign minister, of course."

The denial came amid speculation that Lavrov’s influence had declined following his October 21 conversation with U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio. That discussion reportedly preceded the cancellation of the planned Budapest summit between Presidents Putin and Trump.

Lavrov’s absence from a key Security Council meeting chaired by Putin on November 5 also fueled rumors about his standing within the Kremlin. Despite being a permanent member of the council, he did not attend the session, which observers saw as unusual.

In another sign of shifting dynamics, Lavrov will no longer head Russia’s delegation at the G20 summit. The role will instead go to Maxim Oreshkin, deputy chief of the presidential administration.

According to earlier Reuters sources, the summit’s collapse resulted from the Kremlin’s uncompromising negotiating position, which demanded extensive concessions while rejecting a ceasefire in Ukraine. Following the meeting’s cancellation, the United States introduced its first new sanctions on Russia since President Trump returned to office, targeting oil majors Rosneft and Lukoil.

Summary

The Kremlin denies claims that Sergey Lavrov’s influence has diminished after the canceled Trump–Putin summit, attributing the speculation to unfounded rumors amid diplomatic tensions.

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The Kyiv Independent The Kyiv Independent — 2025-11-07

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