Lavrov sidelined in Moscow?
Sergey Lavrov’s absence from the recent Security Council meeting and his removal as head of Russia’s delegations to the G20 and ASEAN summits highlight a visible shift in the Kremlin’s balance of power. Once a central architect of Moscow’s foreign policy, Lavrov now appears marginalized as President Vladimir Putin consolidates control over foreign decision-making.
For the first time in decades, Lavrov missed a Security Council session chaired by Putin — an absence officially termed as
“coordinated.”
However, the simultaneous reassignment of his duties to Maxim Oreshkin and Alexey Overchuk, both technocrats from the presidential administration, points to more than a simple bureaucratic reshuffle. The move suggests a broader effort to strengthen the Kremlin’s hold over international representation, leaving the foreign ministry with limited independence in defining Russia’s external messaging.
Lavrov’s apparent demotion comes not long after the cancellation of a planned meeting between Putin and US President Donald Trump in Budapest. Reports mention a tense exchange between Lavrov and US Secretary of State Marco Rubio, as well as a Russian memorandum on Ukraine viewed in Washington as
“maximalist.”These incidents reportedly caused frustration in the Kremlin.
Some insiders now blame Lavrov for mishandling the situation or even harming Putin’s diplomatic strategy. In Moscow’s hierarchical system, such missteps are rarely tolerated. The once unshakable foreign minister now faces the same isolation that preceded the decline of former Defence Minister Sergei Shoigu.
Author’s Summary
Lavrov’s fading influence reflects President Putin’s tightening control over Russia’s diplomacy and signals diminishing independence of the foreign ministry.