Lavrov Returns to Public Diplomacy in Moscow Meeting With India’s Jaishankar

Overview

• Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov met Indian External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar in Moscow on November 17.
• His appearance followed absences from Security Council meetings on November 5 and 14 and a November 12 summit with Kazakhstan.
• The session was widely viewed as coordination ahead of Putin’s planned India visit starting December 5, according to reports.
• Lavrov’s last confirmed in‑person diplomacy before this was on October 28 in Belarus with the foreign ministers of Hungary and Myanmar.
• Speculation in Moscow diplomatic circles about Lavrov’s health had grown during his absence, though his reemergence indicated he remains active.