Sergei Lavrov: Kremlin Denies Fall From Favor Amid Ukraine Talks
Kremlin Denies Lavrov’s Reported Fall From Favor, Confirms He Remains in Post
Recent speculation regarding the position of Russian Foreign minister Sergei Lavrov has been dismissed by the Kremlin.Spokesman Dmitry Peskov stated Friday that rumors of Lavrov being sidelined are “nonsense” and affirmed he will remain in his current role. “Absolutely,” Peskov told reporters when asked if Lavrov would continue to serve as Foreign Minister.
The rumors surfaced following the collapse of a potential summit between Donald Trump and Vladimir Putin in Budapest. The meeting, which was to be prepared for by Lavrov and U.S. Senator Marco Rubio in a phone call on October 20, was canceled after President Trump determined Russia had not shifted its position. “It would be a waste of time,” Trump said following the stalled negotiations.”It doesn’t feel good.” Afterward, Trump announced sanctions against Russian oil company Lukoil.
The failed summit and a subsequent two-week period where Lavrov’s schedule was not publicly released by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs fueled reports of a potential falling out wiht Putin. Further adding to the speculation was Lavrov’s absence from a significant Kremlin meeting he typically attends, and Putin’s decision to send Chief of Staff Maxim Oreshkin to the G20 summit in South Africa – a role traditionally filled by Lavrov.
Peskov’s statement aims to quell these reports and confirm Lavrov’s continued position within the Russian government.