Overview
- Sergei Lavrov was the only permanent member missing from last week’s Kremlin-led Security Council meeting, which officials described as a pre‑arranged absence.
- The Kremlin insists Lavrov remains in good standing, with spokesman Dmitri Peskov calling reports of a fallout with Vladimir Putin “absolute lies.”
- Russia’s G20 delegation later this month is set to be led by presidential aide Maxim Oreshkin rather than the foreign minister, a notable change from recent years.
- Multiple outlets citing the Financial Times and the Guardian report that a tense call between Lavrov and U.S. counterpart Marco Rubio reportedly helped scuttle a planned Trump–Putin meeting in Budapest.
- Public sightings have been scarce for about a week, though state TV aired remarks in which Lavrov signaled openness to discuss U.S. allegations over nuclear tests, keeping speculation about his future and health alive without any confirmed personnel change.