Russia govt denies Putin-Lavrov rift

The Kremlin on Friday dismissed speculation that Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov had fallen out of favour with Vladimir Putin after efforts to organise a summit between the Russian president and Donald Trump were put on ice last month.

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NO ROOM FOR MISTAKES: Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov attends a meeting in Tashkent, Uzbekistan, on May 27, 2024.

Mr Lavroy, 75, a veteran Soviet-era diplomat known for his robust negotiating style, was absent from a big Kremlin meeting this week that he would typically attend, and Mr Putin chose someone else to attend a G20 summit in South Africa later this month, a role that Mr Lavrov has filled in the past.

For two weeks in a row the Foreign Ministry has also not disclosed Mr Lavrov’s travel plans and speaking engagements for the following week.

The developments have fuelled speculation that Mr Lavrov, who has served as foreign minister for more than two decades, may have fallen from Mr Putin’s good graces due to the collapse of plans for the summit in Budapest.