Overview
- Spokesman Dmitry Peskov said reports of a rift are untrue and affirmed that Sergey Lavrov continues as foreign minister.
- Lavrov was the only permanent member missing from Wednesday’s Security Council session; Kommersant reported his absence was agreed in advance.
- Putin signed a Nov. 4 decree naming Deputy Chief of Staff Maxim Oreshkin to lead Russia’s G20 delegation instead of Lavrov.
- Multiple outlets, citing the Financial Times, reported a tense Lavrov–Rubio call preceded the scrapped Budapest summit and was followed by new U.S. sanctions on Rosneft and Lukoil.
- Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova criticized the FT report as fueling speculation and called it part of a hybrid war against Russia.