MOSCOW, 8 November (H.S.): The Kremlin on Friday moved to extinguish rampant speculation regarding the political standing of veteran Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov, whose recent absence from a key security meeting ignited rumors of a rift with President Vladimir Putin.

Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov unequivocally denied the reports, asserting that Lavrov continues to serve in his role and that suggestions of his ousting were without merit.The intrigue began after Lavrov, a permanent member of Russia's Security Council, was conspicuously absent from a high-level meeting on Wednesday where President Putin discussed the possibility of resuming nuclear testing. This, combined with the news that a more junior official would lead the Russian delegation to the upcoming G20 summit in Johannesburg—a role Lavrov has typically filled—fueled conjecture that the long-serving diplomat had been sidelined.

Observers have linked the perceived demotion to the recent collapse of a planned summit in Budapest between President Putin and U.S. President Donald Trump.

Lavrov was Russia's lead negotiator for the talks, which were abruptly called off following a phone call between him and U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio. U.S. officials indicated that Russia had not altered its hardline stance on Ukraine, which was followed by the Trump administration imposing fresh sanctions on Moscow .

Despite the Kremlin's firm denial, the episode has drawn attention to the opaque inner workings of Putin's government, where loyalty and continuity are highly valued. Lavrov has been the face of Russian diplomacy for over two decades, known for his combative style and unwavering defense of Moscow's foreign policy, including the 2022 invasion of Ukraine.

While the Kremlin is keen to project an image of stability, the incident has left many analysts questioning whether behind-the-scenes tensions are simmering within Russia's top echelons of power.

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Hindusthan Samachar / Jun Sarkar