Jump to content

Sergey Lavrov

Page extended-protected
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Sergey Lavrov
Сергей Лавров
Lavrov in 2022
Minister of Foreign Affairs
Incumbent
Assumed office
9 March 2004
President
Prime Minister
Preceded byIgor Ivanov
Ambassador of Russia to the United Nations
In office
22 September 1994 – 12 July 2004
Nominated byBoris Yeltsin
Preceded byYuli Vorontsov
Succeeded byAndrey Denisov
Personal details
Born
Sergey Viktorovich Lavrov

(1950-03-21) 21 March 1950 (age 74)
Moscow, Russian SFSR, Soviet Union
Political partyUnited Russia
Spouse
Maria Lavrova
​
(m. 1971)​
Children1
Alma materMoscow State Institute of International Relations
AwardsHero of Labour of the Russian Federation;
Full Cavalier of the Order "For Merit to the Fatherland"
Signature

Sergey Viktorovich Lavrov[a] (Russian: Сергей Викторович Лавров, IPA: [sʲɪrˈɡʲej ˈvʲiktərəvʲɪtɕ lɐˈvrof]; born 21 March 1950) is a Russian diplomat who has served as the foreign minister of Russia since 2004. He is the longest-serving foreign minister since the Tsarist era.[1]

Lavrov served as the permanent representative of Russia to the United Nations from 1994 to 2004.

Early life and education

Lavrov was born on 21 March 1950[2] in Moscow, to an Armenian father from Tbilisi, Georgian SSR, and a Russian mother from Noginsk, Russian SFSR. His father's surname was originally Kalantaryan.[3][4][5] His mother worked in the Soviet Ministry for Foreign Trade. Lavrov graduated from high school with a silver medal. Since his favorite class was physics, he planned to enter either the National Research Nuclear University or the Moscow Institute of Physics and Technology, but he entered the Moscow State Institute of International Relations (MGIMO) and graduated in 1972.[2]

During his education at the MGIMO, Lavrov studied international relations. Soon he learned Sinhalese, then the only official language of Sri Lanka, as well as Dhivehi, the official language of the Maldives. He also learned English and French. After he was admitted to the university, Lavrov, along with other students, was sent for a month to a student construction brigade building the Ostankino Tower.[6]

During his summer vacations, Lavrov also worked in his university's student construction brigades in Khakassia, Tuva and the Russian Far East. Each semester, Lavrov with his fellow students conducted drama performances, which were later presented on the main stage of the university. During the third year of his studies, Lavrov was married.[7]

Career

Soviet diplomat in Sri Lanka (1972–1975)

Lavrov graduated in 1972. According to the rules of that time, a graduate of the Moscow State Institute of International Relations had to work for the Foreign Ministry for a certain amount of time. Lavrov was employed in the Soviet embassy in Sri Lanka as an advisor, as he was already a specialist on the country. At the time, the Soviet Union and Sri Lanka had close market and economic cooperation and the Soviet Union launched the production of natural rubber in the country.[7]

The Soviet embassy in Sri Lanka also maintained relations with the Maldives. The embassy in Sri Lanka employed only 24 diplomats. Lavrov was given the task of continuously analysing the situation in the country, but he also worked as a translator, personal secretary and assistant to Rafiq Nishonov, who would later become the 12th First Secretary of the Communist Party of Uzbek SSR. In addition, he gained the diplomatic rank of an attaché.[7]

USSR Section for International Economic Relations and the UN

In 1976, Lavrov returned to Moscow. He worked as a third and second secretary in the Section for International Economic Relations of the USSR. There, he was involved in analytics and his office also worked with various international organizations, including the United Nations.

In 1981, he was sent as a senior adviser to the Soviet mission to the United Nations in New York City.

In 1988, Lavrov returned to Moscow and was named Deputy Chief of the Section for International Economic Relations of the USSR. Between 1990 and 1992 he worked as Director of the International Organization of the Soviet Foreign Ministry.[7]

Soviet-to-CIS transition (1992–1994)

In October 1991, Andrey Kozyrev, who was in charge of monitoring international organizations at the time, was named Foreign Minister of the Russian Soviet Federative Socialist Republic (Russian SFSR). In that year, the powers of the Soviet Foreign Ministry and the Foreign Ministry of the Russian SFSR were distributed. Until then the Russian SFSR had only a ceremonial role. In October 1992, the foreign ministers of all Soviet republics, except Georgia and the Baltic states, held a meeting where they dealt with the Union of Foreign Ministries.[7]

In November 1991, the State Council decided to change its name from the Union of Foreign Ministries to the Foreign Ministry of the Soviet Union. In April 1992, he was named deputy foreign minister.[7]

In December 1991, the Foreign Ministry of Soviet Russia became the Foreign Ministry of the Russian Federation.

In 1992, Lavrov was named director of the Department for International Organizations and Global Issues in the Foreign Ministry of the Russian Federation.[7]

Lavrov was asked to oversee the activities of the Human Rights and International Cultural Cooperation and the two departments – for the CIS countries, international organizations and international economic cooperation.[7]

Lavrov was promoted to the diplomatic rank of the Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary — the highest diplomatic rank in the Russian Federation — by the Decree of the then President of Russia, Boris Yeltsin, on 5 June 1992 No. 568.[8]

Russian Permanent Representative to the UN (1994–2004)

Lavrov worked for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs until 1994 when he returned to work in the United Nations, this time as the Permanent Representative of Russia. While in the latter position, he was the President of the United Nations Security Council in December 1995, June 1997, July 1998, October 1999,[9] December 2000, April 2002, and June 2003.[10]

Foreign minister of Russia (2004–present)

Sergey Lavrov in Moscow, 17 September 2004
Lavrov Meets with President George W. Bush in the Oval Office of the White House, 7 March 2006
Lavrov Meets with President Barack Obama in the Oval Office of the White House, 7 May 2009
Lavrov with Ukrainian Foreign Minister Kostyantyn Gryshchenko in Kyiv, 10 April 2010
Lavrov with US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, Munich, Germany, on 5 February 2011

On 9 March 2004, President Vladimir Putin appointed Lavrov to the post of minister of foreign affairs.[2] He succeeded Igor Ivanov in the post.

Lavrov held on to his position through Vladimir Putin's Second Cabinet while Dmitri Medvedev occupied the presidency from 2008 to 2012.

On 21 May 2012, Lavrov was reappointed foreign minister to the cabinet led by prime minister Dimitri Medvedev.[2]

Lavrov is regarded as continuing in the style of his predecessor: a brilliant diplomat but a civil servant rather than a politician. A Russian foreign policy expert at London's Chatham House has described him as "a tough, reliable, extremely sophisticated negotiator" but adds that "he's not part of Putin's inner sanctum" and that the toughening of Russian foreign policy has got very little to do with him.[11]

US politicians have been much more critical in their appraisal of Lavrov, seeing him as emblematic of President Putin's resurgent violent foreign policies. Then US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton found that Lavrov treated her poorly during negotiations, like a "jerk."[12] Several Obama administration officials interviewed for a profile on Lavrov described him as an “anti-diplomat” with “nothing redeemable” about his “uncharismatic, offensive, uncompromising, cruel, unlikeable, brusque, caddish” character.[13]

On 15 January 2020, he resigned as part of the cabinet, after President Vladimir Putin delivered the Presidential Address to the Federal Assembly, in which he proposed several amendments to the constitution.[14] On 21 January 2020, he maintained his position in Mikhail Mishustin's Cabinet.[15]

Civil war in Syria

In 2012, in the early stages of the Syrian Civil War, a Russian delegation travelled to Syria to affirm Russia's backing of the Syrian government of the President Bashar al-Assad. Lavrov and Mikhail Fradkov, who were part of the delegation, were given a favorable welcome by thousands of pro-Assad supporters. The supporters waved Russian flags in thanks to Russia's veto of a UN resolution calling for tough sanctions on the Syrian government.[16]

In September 2013, then Secretary of State John Kerry and Lavrov reached a breakthrough agreement that would destroy almost all chemical weapons stored in Assad's Syria. The deal was reached after three challenging rounds of talks in Geneva, Switzerland. Soon after, Syria fully accepted this plan, and by June 2014 all chemical weapons submitted by the Syrian government were safely incinerated in the Eastern Mediterranean. The director general of the Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons at the United Nations declared that this treaty was a major benchmark.[17][18]

In October 2019, Lavrov condemned Donald Trump's decision to send American troops to guard Syria's oil fields and possibly exploit them, saying that any "exploitation of natural resources of a sovereign state without its consent is illegal".[19]

Russian-Ukrainian conflict 2014

Lavrov in Maribor, Slovenia, 8 July 2014 during the opening ceremony for a museum commemorating the Soviet soldiers who died in Nazi captivity
US Secretary of State John Kerry and Lavrov before a bilateral meeting in Moscow, on 24 March 2016
Putin, Lavrov and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi at the 2016 SCO Summit
Lavrov meets with President Donald Trump in the Oval Office of the White House, 10 May 2017
Putin, Lavrov, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Israeli President Reuven Rivlin at the World Holocaust Forum, 23 January 2020
Antony Blinken, Joe Biden, Vladimir Putin and Lavrov at the 2021 Russia–United States summit in Geneva, Switzerland

After the March 2014 Crimean status referendum,[20] Lavrov proposed that Ukraine should be independent of any bloc, that the Russian language be recognised officially, and that the constitution be organised along federal lines.[21] In an interview with the Russia-24 TV channel, Lavrov said that the zero-sum "either-or" bloc-politics of Ukraine were first suggested in 2004 by Karel De Gucht, then Foreign Minister of Belgium.[22]

When G8 leaders voted to officially suspend Russia's membership on 24 March, Lavrov stated that the G8 was an informal organization and membership was optional for Russia.[23]

In a 30 March interview, he spoke of the 21 February agreement which was signed by Viktor Yanukovich, Vitaly Klitchko, Arseniy Yatsenyuk, and Oleg Tyagnibok as well as the Foreign Ministers of Poland, France and Germany to promote peaceful changes in Ukrainian power. Lavrov stressed federalism as a solution to the constitutional impasse in Ukraine, and deplored the de-officialisation of the Russian language. He noticed the work of the secretariat of the Council of Europe at the Venice Commission to prevent a legitimation of the Crimean referendum, and to expel Russia. Lavrov was "taken aback" when US President Barack Obama called Russia a "regional power". He deplored the misuse of the Schengen Agreement to force Crimeans to visit Kyiv in order to gain a Schengen visa, and noticed that the E.U. proposes a visa-free regime for Ukrainian citizens. Lavrov stated that the Revolution of Dignity in Kyiv and the results of the Crimean referendum should both be accepted equally by the West. He reiterated the three-part Russian proposal for the progress of Ukraine:

  1. Constitutional federalism
  2. Recognition of linguistic minorities
  3. That Ukraine be a non-aligned state

The Kyiv government on 30 March denounced Lavrov's proposals as amounting to "the complete capitulation of Ukraine, its dismemberment, and the destruction of Ukrainian statehood.[24]

While Lavrov acknowledged that Russia is in contact with the Ukrainian separatist rebels he denied US and EU allegations that Moscow sponsored the rebellion and accused the United States of aggravating the conflict. "Our American colleagues still prefer to push the Ukrainian leadership toward a confrontational path." He added that chances for settling the Ukrainian crisis would have been higher if it only depended on Russia and Europe.[25] Lavrov said the separatists want to "defend their culture, their traditions, celebrate their holidays rather than anniversaries of Roman Shukhevych and Stepan Bandera."[26]

In June 2016, Lavrov stated that Russia will never attack any NATO country, saying: "I am convinced that all serious and honest politicians know perfectly well than Russia will never attack a member state of NATO. We have no such plans."[27] He also said: "In our security doctrine it is clearly stated that one of the main threats to our safety is the further expansion of NATO to the east."[27]

2017 North Korea crisis

Lavrov likened the war of words between US President Donald Trump and North Korean leader Kim Jong-un to a kindergarten fight between two children, saying "Together with China we'll continue to strive for a reasonable approach and not an emotional one like when children in a kindergarten start fighting and no-one can stop them."[28]

Lavrov also said that the United States would not carry out a strike on North Korea because "they know for sure – rather than suspect – that it has atomic bombs." He said the US invaded Iraq "solely because they had 100 percent information that there were no weapons of mass destruction left there."[29]

US sanctions

Lavrov criticized US sanctions against countries like Iran, Turkey and Russia. In August 2018, Lavrov said, "unilateral enforcement measures are illegitimate in international affairs" [...]. "One way to counter these illegitimate barriers and restrictions is we can use national currencies on our bilateral trade". "I strongly believe that abuse of the role the U.S. dollar plays as an international currency will eventually result in its role being undermined".[30]

Businesses involved in Nord Stream 2 natural gas pipeline from Russia to Germany have been sanctioned by the United States with the passing of the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2020 on 20 December 2019.[31][32] Lavrov said that US Congress "is literally overwhelmed with the desire to do everything to destroy" the Russia–United States relations.[33]

Ukraine's education law

Lavrov condemned Ukraine's 2017 education law, which makes Ukrainian the only language of education in state schools. According to Lavrov, the "reaction of Brussels to the Ukrainian Law on Education is utterly vague although it crudely violates Kyiv's commitments on linguistic and educational rights."[34] Russia's Foreign Ministry stated that the law is designed to "forcefully establish a mono-ethnic language regime in a multinational state."[35]

Non-citizens in Latvia and Estonia

As early as 2011 Lavrov criticized the status of "non-citizens" in Latvia and Estonia, calling the problem of Russian speaking stateless persons "shameful for the EU."[36][34][37]

NATO's Defender-Europe 2021

In 2021, Lavrov was critical of a massive NATO-led military exercise called Defender-Europe 21,[38] one of the largest NATO-led military exercises in Europe in decades, which began in March 2021. It included "nearly simultaneous operations across more than 30 training areas" in Estonia, Bulgaria, Romania and other countries.[39][40] He said that Russia's response was inevitable.[38]

2022 Russian invasion of Ukraine

See also: Prelude to the 2022 Russian invasion of Ukraine
Lavrov meets with US secretary of state Antony Blinken on 2 December 2021

In January 2022, the United States accused Russia of sending saboteurs into Ukraine to stage "a false-flag operation" that would create a pretext for Russia to invade Ukraine. Lavrov dismissed the US claim as "total disinformation".[41] On 4 February 2022, Lavrov dismissed as "nonsense" and "craziness" allegations by the United States that Russia was preparing a fake video of the Ukrainian forces attacking the separatist-held Donbas as a pretext for starting a war in Ukraine.[42] On 10 February 2022, Lavrov met with British Foreign Secretary Liz Truss. In the context of tensions between Russia and the West over a build up of Russian troops near the Russia–Ukraine border talks between the two foreign ministers were described as "difficult". Lavrov denied that Russia has any plans to invade Ukraine.[43] He described Western "demands to remove Russian troops from Russian territory" as "regrettable".[44]

In August 2022, 'Foreign Policy' reported Western diplomats stating that Lavrov has no real influence on Russia's foreign policy and has become a mere propagandist and mouthpiece for Putin.[45] Regarding Russia's invasion of Ukraine, foreign policy expert Angela Stent said: "As far as we know, Lavrov himself only knew [the invasion] was happening as it was taking place."[46] According to sources close to the Kremlin, Lavrov was informed of Putin's plan to attack Ukraine at short notice before the invasion.[47]

On 25 February 2022, the day after Russia began an invasion of Ukraine, Lavrov claimed that Putin ordered the invasion to "free Ukrainians from oppression".[48] The same day, the US, UK, EU and Canada announced sanctions against Lavrov as well as Putin.[49][50] The US added Lavrov to the Specially Designated Nationals and Blocked Persons List.[51] On 26 February, Australia announced similar sanctions on Lavrov.[52] On 1 March most diplomats at the United Nations Human Rights Council (UNHRC) in Geneva staged a walkout in protest at the Russian invasion of Ukraine as Lavrov began to speak to the assembly via video from Moscow.[53] Lavrov criticized the West on some policies relating to Ukraine, denouncing his prevention on flying to Geneva due to the ban on Russian aircraft on EU airspace as "Trying to avoid a candid face-to-face dialogue or direct contacts designed to help identify political solutions to pressing international issues." He was also quoted "The West clearly has lost self-control in venting anger against Russia and has destroyed its own rules and institutions."[54] Lavrov, who read from a prepared text,[53] repeated Putin's 23 February goal statement: "The goal of our actions is to save people by fulfilling our allied obligations, as well as to demilitarize and denazify Ukraine so that such things never happen again."[55]

On 25 February 2022, Lavrov claimed that "available statistics confirm" that "no strikes are being made on civilian infrastructure."[56]

On 2 March 2022, Lavrov explained in an interview with Al Jazeera, Moscow, how the invasion of Ukraine came about in the context of an international crisis that already existed well before 2014. According to him, Russia had to annex the Crimea in 2014 due to the unacceptable risk that NATO naval bases would replace the Russian military port there. He primarily contests the legitimacy of the putsch against Viktor Yanukovych, who according to the Russian leadership already initiated "peace" in Ukraine, with respect to all Russian speaking minorities. He accuses the West of not supporting the special status of those minorities, before Yanukovych was deposed by the Orange Revolution in 2004–2005. He continued that Zelenskyy did not improve the situation any further, and that Putin had to order the invasion of Ukraine, because the US did not comply or even address the security concerns of Russia's western flank. Lavrov claimed the US exerted similar pressures on Iraq in 2003, which the US invaded later for no reason other than "a vial of unidentified chemicals". At the same time, Lavrov tries to portray the current Ukrainian government as "nationalistic" and "right wing" because it does not incorporate historical and linguistic ties to Russia into national policies, and only excels to separate itself from a shared history and culture.[57]

A residential building in the settlement of Borodianka (Kyiv Oblast) after the Russian bombing of Borodianka on 2 March 2022. Lavrov claimed that Russia "did not attack Ukraine".[58]

On 10 March 2022, Lavrov met with Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba in Antalya, Turkey. Lavrov claimed that Russia "did not attack Ukraine".[58] He said without evidence that the Russian military bombed the maternity hospital in Mariupol because it was a base for the Azov Battalion.[59]

On 28 March 2022, he praised the relations between Russia and China as the best in history.[60] On 1 April 2022, he met with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and said that Russia "appreciates" India's neutral position on the war in Ukraine.[61][62]

On 7 April 2022, the United Nations General Assembly in New York voted to suspend Russia from the UNHRC over its behaviour in Ukraine: "93 members voted in favour of the diplomatic rebuke while 24 were against and 58 abstained. This met the required threshold of a two-thirds majority of the assembly members that vote yes or no, with abstentions not counting in the calculation." Linda Thomas-Greenfield had spearheaded the effort and Dmytro Kuleba thought it appropriate and published his thanks while UK Ambassador James Roscoe observed of the Putin administration who tried to quit the body after the fact that it sounded "like someone that's just been fired tendering their resignation."[63] On 25 April, Lavrov accused NATO of fighting a proxy war with Russia that could escalate into a global conflict with nuclear weapons.[64] U.S. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin said that "it's unhelpful and dangerous to rattle sabers and speculate about the use of nuclear weapons."[65]

On 1 May 2022, in an interview with the Italian television broadcaster Rete 4,[66] Lavrov was asked why Russia claimed it needed to "denazify" Ukraine, considering the Ukrainian president himself, Volodymyr Zelenskyy, is Jewish. Lavrov responded by suggesting that Adolf Hitler, like Zelenskyy, had Jewish heritage, saying "as to [Zelenskyy's] argument of what kind of nazification can we have if I'm Jewish, if I remember correctly, and I may be wrong, Hitler also had Jewish blood."[67][68][69] Lavrov elaborated "for some time we have heard from the Jewish people that the biggest antisemites were Jewish." Israeli prime minister Naftali Bennett condemned Lavrov's comments and said that "using the Holocaust of the Jewish people as a political tool must cease immediately".[68][70] On 5 May, Bennett's office issued a statement saying: "The Prime Minister accepted President Putin's apology for Lavrov's remarks and thanked him for clarifying his attitude towards the Jewish people and the memory of the Holocaust".[71] Lavrov was criticized by Deborah Lipstadt for the remarks.[72]

On 14 May 2022, Lavrov used the phrase "total hybrid war" in the course of describing the West's efforts to help Ukraine combat the 2022 Russian invasion.[73]

On 6 June 2022, according to Večernje novosti, Sergey Lavrov was due to visit the Serbian capital, Belgrade. However the countries of Bulgaria, North Macedonia, and Montenegro, which surround Serbia, refused Lavrov permission to use their airspace, which led to the cancellation of the visit.[74]

In July 2022, Lavrov stated that Russia's goal was to overthrow the pro-Western government in Ukraine,[75] but later said that peace would only be achieved if Ukraine recognized Russia's sovereignty over the conquered and annexed regions of Ukraine.[76]

On 16 June 2022, in an interview with the BBC's Steve Rosenberg, Lavrov stated that Russia did not invade Ukraine, but instead "declared a special military operation because we had absolutely no other way of explaining to the West that dragging Ukraine into Nato was a criminal act." He again repeated the Kremlin's claim that there were Nazis in Ukraine. Lavrov was also asked about a report by the United Nations on an incident involving the Russian military in Yahidne, Ukraine. Lavrov replied: "It's a great pity but international diplomats, including the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, the UN Secretary-General and other UN representatives, are being put under pressure by the West. And very often they're being used to amplify fake news spread by the West. Russia is not squeaky clean. Russia is what it is. And we are not ashamed of showing who we are."[77]

On 8 July 2022, Lavrov left the G20 summit of foreign ministers in Bali, Indonesia because he disliked the questions about the invasion of Ukraine. He left when German foreign minister Annalena Baerbock began her formal address. Ukraine sympathizers refused to join a group photo with Lavrov, who seemed perplexed at the criticism.[78][79]

On 20 July 2022, Lavrov publicly confirmed that Russia had as a goal not only to "liberate" the Donbas region, but also to occupy the Kherson region, the Zaporizhzhia region and several other territories, supposedly as a response to Ukraine receiving weapons support from abroad.[80] On 26 July 2022, he said: "We are determined to help the people of eastern Ukraine to liberate themselves from the burden of this absolutely unacceptable regime,"[81]

On 11 September 2022, Lavrov said that he has not given up on the idea of peace talks with Kyiv.[82] According to his views, "the longer this process is delayed, the harder it will be to reach an agreement." Kyiv and Moscow have held intermittent peace talks since late February 2022, sponsored by Russia's foreign ministry.[83]

Fires on a combined heat and power plant in Kyiv after Russian missile strikes on 10 October 2022. Lavrov defended Russian strikes against Ukrainian infrastructure.[84]

One week before the 2022 Russian mobilization, Lavrov assured the Russians that there would be no mobilization or martial law.[85]

On 23 September 2022, Lavrov attended the annual U.N. General Assembly meeting in New York City, after he received permission to travel to the United States. The Russian foreign minister regretted that he was not able to attend the full presentation by U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken. Lavrov attempted to convince the audience that 'countries supplying weapons to Ukraine and training its soldiers were parties to the conflict'.[86] He said that Russian-occupied territories of Ukraine would be under Russia's "full protection" if they are annexed by Russia.[87] Lavrov again falsely claimed that the elected government in Ukraine was illegitimately installed and filled with neo-Nazis. Ukraine's Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba said Lavrov's comments about using nuclear weapons were "irresponsible" and "absolutely unacceptable".[88]

On 14 November, the Associated Press reported, citing Indonesia officials, that Lavrov had been admitted to hospital with a heart condition. An aide subsequently released a video on Telegram showing Lavrov laughing at such reports from his hotel in Bali, claiming Western media was at fault for "some kind of game".[89]

On 1 December, he advocated Russian strikes against Ukrainian infrastructure, saying that "This infrastructure supports the combat capability of the Ukrainian armed forces" and that the Russian missile attacks were intended to "knock out energy facilities that allow you to keep pumping deadly weapons into Ukraine in order to kill the Russians".[84]

On 28 December, Lavrov stated on national television: "I am convinced that thanks to our perseverance, patience and determination, we will defend the noble goals that are vital for our people and our country". He also stated: "Our absolute priority is four new Russian regions". He also stated that peace talks with Ukraine would only resume if it recognized the annexation of the four regions only partially occupied: "They should become free from the threat of Nazification that they have faced for many years".[90]

On 4 March 2023 the BBC reported that Lavrov was ridiculed by a conference audience after a G20 foreign ministers' meeting in Delhi after saying the Ukraine war was "launched against us". Lavrov claimed Russia was trying to stop the Ukraine war, which began after its own full-scale invasion in February 2022. Video footage of the incident was also published and the laughter could be heard in the audio.[91] However, he received applause from a section of the audience when he criticized the US-led invasion of Iraq.[92]

On 20 March 2023, India negated personal sanctions imposed against the Russian foreign minister while he was welcomed by India's Foreign Minister Subrahmanyam Jaishankar in New Delhi. During the G-20 earlier that month, India attempted to resolve the conflict between the United States and Russia but conceded saying 'the gap between the countries was too much'.[93]

On 6 April 2023, Lavrov again visited Turkey to meet his counter-part Mevlüt Çavuşoğlu. The ministers discussed several key topics including energy, security and regional diplomacy. Turkey served as a chief broker for the Black Sea Grain Initiative that opened up grain shipments from Ukraine and Russia to North Africa and the developing world. Turkey, a NATO-ally, has not imposed sanctions against Lavrov. Russia has stated that sanctions had impeded the export of Russian grain, and with the expiration of the deal, reduced Russian grain exports would accelerate inflation and food shortages. Because of intense diplomatic relations between Turkey and the Russian Federation, a new deal would allow Ukraine to export another twenty-five million tons of grain and foodstuff to underdeveloped countries. Previously Western media had accused Lavrov of obstructing Ukrainian grain shipments.[94] On 7 April 2023, Lavrov said Russia rejects the "unipolar world order" led by the United States and wants any peace talks with Ukraine to focus on creating a "new world order."[95]

In May 2023, Lavrov said that Germany was supporting Ukraine because today's German leaders inherited "Nazi genes".[96]

In January 2024 Lavrov was quoted as saying: "Where has there been a similar turn of events before? Afghanistan. The Americans spent twenty years there. Did that period last as long as they needed or as long as it was possible? What did they accomplish there? .. Ukraine, unfortunately is doomed to the same fate, because while relying on the patron, staying unaware that the patron cares only about himself, not about you at all, you cannot expect that the interests of your people will somehow be taken into account."[97]

Miscellaneous other business

Meeting of BRICS (Brazil, Russia, India, China, South Africa) foreign ministers in New York City on 22 September 2022

In July 2022, Lavrov visited Egypt, Congo, Uganda and Ethiopia and praised the neutral position taken by African countries towards the war in Ukraine.[98][99] On 6 July 2022, he met with Vietnamese Foreign Minister Bùi Thanh Sơn in Hanoi and called Vietnam a "key partner" of Russia in ASEAN.[100] On 28 July 2022, Lavrov attended the meeting of foreign ministers of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO). He met with Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi and praised the "traditional friendship" between Russia and China.[101] He described Myanmar as a "friendly and longstanding partner".[102]

Lavrov with Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev on 27 February 2023

On 2 September 2022, Lavrov was concerned over the delay in obtaining US visas for himself and his staff for the yearly meeting of world leaders at the UNGA on 19 September. "Not a single member of the 56-member Russian advance team and delegation" had received the visas. The US protested that this was due to the expulsion of staff from its Moscow embassy.[103] Lavrov backed India and Brazil for permanent membership at the UN Security Council.[104]

On 23–26 January 2023, Lavrov visited South Africa, Swaziland, Angola, and Eritrea. On 5–9 February, he visited Iraq, Mali, Mauritania, and Sudan.[105][106] South African Foreign Minister Naledi Pandor thanked Lavrov for the "most wonderful meeting" and described Russia as a "valued partner".[107] On 10 February, Lavrov said that Western efforts to "isolate" Russia had completely failed, and that Russia was building stronger relations with countries in Africa, the Middle East, the Asia-Pacific, and elsewhere.[108]

On 19 April 2023, Lavrov started his official tour to South and Central America as well as Cuba. His mission to these countries was initiated by a meeting with the newly elected Brazilian president Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, who announced his position to negotiate in the conflict and to lay partial blame on Ukraine for the war. Lavrov had welcomed the balanced position by Brazil.[109] He continued the tour a day later to visit Nicolás Maduro in Venezuela, a staunch Russian ally. Later that week, Lavrov also paid visits to Cuba and finally Nicaragua. His encounters with politicians there were taking place in friendly manner, and highlight the economic and political alliances Russia has with those nations.[110]

The BRICS leaders in 2023, from left to right: Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, Xi Jinping, Cyril Ramaphosa, Narendra Modi and Sergey Lavrov (representing Vladimir Putin).

In June 2023, Lavrov took part in a BRICS Foreign Ministers Meeting in Cape Town chaired by South Africa.[111] He met with Saudi Foreign Minister Faisal bin Farhan Al Saud, who was also in Cape Town.[112]

In August 2023, Lavrov attended the BRICS summit in Johannesburg, South Africa in the place of President Vladimir Putin, who subsequently appeared via video link.[113] This was due to South Africa's membership of the Hague-based International Criminal Court, who issued an arrest warrant for Putin, as well as Presidential Commissioner for Children's Rights Maria Lvova-Belova in March of the same year over allegations of forced deportations of children over the course of the invasion of Ukraine.[114][115]

Lavrov, Russian Deputy Prime Minister Alexander Novak (far left) and First Deputy Prime Minister Andrey Belousov in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates, 6 December 2023
Lavrov and other members of the Russian delegation during Putin's visit to China in May 2024

Lavrov condemned Hamas's October 2023 attack on Israel,[116] but also criticized Israel's "indiscriminate" force and "flagrant" violations of international humanitarian law in the Israel–Hamas war, stating: "If Gaza is destroyed and two million inhabitants are expelled, as some politicians in Israel and abroad propose, this will create a catastrophe for many decades, if not centuries."[117] He expressed concern over the violence in the occupied West Bank, where "dozens of people have been killed".[118] On 28 December 2023, Lavrov praised Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu for not criticizing Russia in public statements, unlike his predecessor, Yair Lapid. Lavrov also drew a parallel between Russia's goals of "demilitarization" and "denazification" of Ukraine, and Israel's stated goals of defeating Hamas and extremism in the Gaza Strip.[119][120]

In June 2024, Lavrov thanked Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi for China's decision not to attend the Ukraine peace summit in Switzerland.[121]

Personal life

Lavrov speaks Russian, English, Dhivehi, French and Sinhala.[122]

Lavrov is a keen sportsman.[11] He likes to watch football games on television[123] and is an ardent fan of the Moscow club Spartak Moscow.[124] He has been married since 1971 to Maria Lavrova and they have one daughter and two grandchildren.[125] Their daughter Ekaterina Sergeyevna Lavrova, who lived in the US and London while her father was working for the United Nations, is a graduate of Columbia University. Having stayed in New York City until 2014, and spent a long time outside Russia, she is not fluent in Russian.[126] She is married to Russian businessman Alexander Vinokurov.[127]

Lavrov has allegedly had a relationship with his mistress, Svetlana Polyakova, since the early 2000s.[128][129] In 2016, her daughter Polina Kovaleva purchased an apartment in London's elite district of Kensington for £4.4 million in cash when she was 21 years old.[129][130][131] She has a master's degree from Imperial College London.[130] On 25 March 2022, the British government sanctioned her over allegations of "dirty money" as a part of a broader sanctions regime against corrupt Russian interests following the Russian invasion of Ukraine in late February.[132][133]

Sanctions

In February, 2022, the European Union, Switzerland, the United Kingdom, the United States, Canada, Japan, New Zealand and Australia placed Lavrov under personal sanctions for his role in the 2022 Russian invasion of Ukraine.[134][135] In March 2022, the UK sanctioned Lavrov's stepdaughter, Polina Kovaleva.[136] In April 2022, Canada imposed sanctions against Lavrov's wife and daughter, Maria Lavrova and Ekaterina Vinokurova.[137] The latter was soon included in Australia's sanction list as well.[138]

Rescinded honorary doctorate

  • Lavrov was given an honorary doctorate by the University of Tromsø in Norway in 2011 for his role in peacefully negotiating a maritime delimitation line between Norwegian and Russian sector of the Barents sea.[139] In 2022 due to his involvement in the invasion of Ukraine and related violations of international law the degree was revoked. Lavrov is the only person to have had an honorary doctoral degree rescinded in Norway.[140]

Honors

Russian President Dmitry Medvedev awarding Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov the Order of Merit for the Fatherland, 2nd class, July 2010
Russian President Vladimir Putin and Lavrov, awarded with the Order of Merit for the Fatherland, 1st class, May 2015

Russian Honors

Foreign honours

Ribbon Country Honour Year
Ribbon bar of order of St. Mesrop Mashtoc Armenia First Class of Order of St. Mesrop Mashtots 19 August 2010
By-order friendship of nations rib Belarus Medal of the Order of the Friendship of Peoples (Belarus) 22 June 2006[142]
Burkina Faso Ordre national Commandeur ribbon Burkina Faso Commander of the Order of Étalon 5 June 2024[143]
Order of Makarios III (Cyprus) - ribbon bar Cyprus Grand Cross of the Order of Makarios III 8 September 2020[144]
HUN Order of Merit of the Hungarian Rep (civil) 2class BAR Hungary Commander's Cross with Star of the Hungarian Order of Merit 29 November 2022
OrdenBars 1kl rib Kazakhstan Grand Cordon Class of the Order of the Leopard (Kazakhstan) 22 January 2021[145]
Order Dostik 1kl rib Kazakhstan First Class of the Order of Friendship (Kazakhstan) 16 June 2012[146]
OrdenDostik Kazakhstan Second Class of the Order of Friendship (Kazakhstan) 2005
KRG Order Danaker Kyrgyzstan Medal of the Order Danaker 17 June 2017[147]
Order of Civil Merit (Laos) Laos Commander of the Order of Civic Merit of Laos 2008
MLI National Order - Commander BAR Mali Commander of the National Order of Mali 7 February 2023[148]
PER Order of the Sun of Peru - Grand Cross BAR Peru Grand Cross of the Order of the Sun of Peru 11 September 2007[149]
BIH Order of the Republic of Srpska sash ribbon Republika Srpska Collar of the Order of the Republika Srpska 28 September 2018[150]
SMR Order of Saint Agatha - Grand Cross BAR San Marino Knight of Grand Cross of the Order of Saint Agatha 22 March 2018
Orden Srpske Zastave Serbia First Class of the Order of the Serbian Flag 12 December 2016[151]
Order of Honor (South Ossetia) ribbon South Ossetia Medal of Honour 19 March 2010
Order of the Union. Sash ribbon or First Class United Arab Emirate Collar of the Order of Etihad (Order of the Union) 9 March 2021[152]
Dustlik rib Uzbekistan Medal of the Order of Friendship 28 March 2020[153]
Friendship Order ribbon bar Vietnam Medal of the Friendship Order 25 July 2009

Distinctions

See also

Notes

  1. ^ In this name that follows Eastern Slavic naming customs, the patronymic is Viktorovich and the family name is Lavrov.

References

  1. ^ "Lavrov Sergey Viktorovich". Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Russian Federation. Archived from the original on 18 September 2013. Retrieved 4 February 2013.
  2. ^ a b c d Dubien, Arnaud (June 2012). "The composition of Russia's new Cabinet and Presidential Administration, and its significance". Policy Department DG External Policies. Archived from the original on 18 July 2013. Retrieved 28 March 2013.
  3. ^ "Armenian who Was Born on Ararat Street: Sergey Lavrov – the Unsurpassed Diplomat". Archived from the original on 24 September 2021. Retrieved 24 September 2021.
  4. ^ Lyons, Kate (22 April 2015). "Cher, Kim Kardashian and Andre Agassi: Armenia's A-list diaspora". Guardian. Archived from the original on 23 December 2016. Retrieved 16 December 2016.
  5. ^ Waal, Thomas de (2010). The Caucasus: An introduction. Oxford: Oxford University Press. p. 97. ISBN 978-0199750436. Archived from the original on 10 June 2016. Retrieved 11 October 2015.
  6. ^ "Лавров рассказал, что хотел учиться в МИФИ, но мама посоветовала МГИМО". Archived from the original on 2 June 2021. Retrieved 31 May 2021.
  7. ^ a b c d e f g h Лавров, Сергей (in Russian). Lenta. Archived from the original on 13 July 2012. Retrieved 17 July 2012.
  8. ^ О присвоении Лаврову С. В. дипломатического ранга Чрезвычайного и Полномочного Посла (Decree 568) (in Russian). President of Russia. 5 June 1992. "Законодательство России. Поиск: Указ Президент Дата принятия 05.06.1992 Номер начинается на". Archived from the original on 7 October 2022. Retrieved 7 October 2022.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: bot: original URL status unknown (link)
  9. ^ "Presidents of the Security Council: 1990–1999" Archived 18 October 2012 at the Wayback Machine, UN.org.
  10. ^ "Presidents of the Security Council : 2000–" Archived 1 May 2009 at the Wayback Machine, UN.org. [dead link‍]
  11. ^ a b Jackson, Patrick (29 June 2007). "Profile: Putin's foreign minister Lavrov". Bbc.co.uk. Archived from the original on 28 August 2007. Retrieved 14 December 2017.
  12. ^ Isikoff, Michael; Corn, David (13 March 2018). Russian Roulette: The Inside Story of Putin's War on America and the Election of Donald Trump. New York City: Grand Central Publishing. ISBN 9781538728758. Archived from the original on 11 March 2022. Retrieved 3 November 2020.
  13. ^ Tominey, Camilla (11 February 2022). "Remain's useful idiots can't stop talking Britain down". The Telegraph. ISSN 0307-1235. Retrieved 28 November 2023.
  14. ^ Carroll, Oliver (15 January 2020). "Russian PM resigns in shock move as Putin announces dramatic constitutional shake-up". The Independent. Archived from the original on 20 January 2020. Retrieved 17 January 2020.
  15. ^ "Foreign, Defense and Energy Ministers Keep Their Position in New Russian Cabinet". The Moscow Times. 21 January 2020. Archived from the original on 21 January 2020. Retrieved 21 January 2020.
  16. ^ Bratersky, Alexander (8 January 2012). "Lavrov in Syria to Strongly Back Assad". The Moscow Times. Archived from the original on 16 June 2016. Retrieved 12 June 2016.
  17. ^ Chappell, Bill (14 September 2013). "U.S. And Russia Form A Plan On Syria's Chemical Weapons". NPR. Archived from the original on 7 March 2022. Retrieved 5 November 2022.
  18. ^ Archive of fact-check "Kerry: We got '100 percent' of chemical weapons out of Syria" Archived 1 September 2017 at the Wayback Machine politifact.com. Retrieved 7 March 2022.
  19. ^ Nebehay, Stephanie; Dehghanpisheh, Babak (29 October 2019). "Iran, Russia take aim at U.S. military presence near Syrian oilfields". Reuters. Archived from the original on 7 November 2019. Retrieved 7 November 2019.
  20. ^ "Crimea referendum: What does the ballot paper say?". BBC News. 10 March 2014. Archived from the original on 27 May 2016. Retrieved 12 June 2016.
  21. ^ "Россия выступает за новую конституцию Украины". Interfax.ru (in Russian). 30 March 2014. Archived from the original on 5 November 2022. Retrieved 5 November 2022.
  22. ^ "Лавров: Запад пытается искусственно создать доказательства международной изоляции России". tass.ru (in Russian). Archived from the original on 5 November 2022. Retrieved 5 November 2022.
  23. ^ Acosta, Jim (25 March 2014). "U.S., other powers kick Russia out of G8". CNN. Archived from the original on 16 January 2021. Retrieved 13 April 2017.
  24. ^ "Ukraine crisis: Russia 'withdrawing troops from border', Putin tells Merkel". The Daily Telegraph. 31 March 2014. Archived from the original on 12 January 2022. Retrieved 12 June 2016.
  25. ^ "Sergei Lavrov accuses U.S. of fuelling Ukraine crisis". The Guardian. 28 June 2014. Archived from the original on 30 May 2016. Retrieved 12 June 2016.
  26. ^ Answers to questions of the mass media by the Russian Foreign Minister, Sergey Lavrov, summarising the results of his negotiations with the U.S. Secretary of State, John Kerry, Paris, 5 June 2014. Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Russia
  27. ^ a b "Russia Will Never Attack Any NATO Member: Lavrov Archived 15 January 2019 at the Wayback Machine". Newsweek. 7 June 2016.
  28. ^ "Russia says war of words between Donald Trump and North Korea is 'a fight between two children' Archived 27 January 2018 at the Wayback Machine". The Independent. 23 September 2017.
  29. ^ "North Korea’s A-Bomb Is Deterring U.S. First Strike, Russia Says Archived 29 September 2017 at the Wayback Machine". Bloomberg. 24 September 2017.
  30. ^ Wallace, Charles (14 August 2018). "Are Russia And China Trying To Kill The Dollar?". Forbes. Archived from the original on 10 July 2020. Retrieved 10 July 2020.
  31. ^ "Nord Stream 2: Trump approves sanctions on Russia gas pipeline". BBC News. 21 December 2019. Archived from the original on 28 December 2019. Retrieved 28 December 2019.
  32. ^ "Germany, EU decry US Nord Stream sanctions". Deutsche Welle. 21 December 2019. Archived from the original on 30 December 2019. Retrieved 28 December 2019.
  33. ^ "Ukraine and Russia look to strike new gas deal amid US sanctions threat". CNBC. 16 December 2019. Archived from the original on 17 June 2020. Retrieved 28 December 2019.
  34. ^ a b "Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov's remarks at the 24th OSCE Ministerial Council Meeting – Vienna, December 7, 2017". osce.org. Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE). Archived from the original on 18 February 2020. Retrieved 31 January 2019.
  35. ^ "Ukrainian Language Bill Facing Barrage Of Criticism From Minorities, Foreign Capitals". Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty. 24 September 2017. Archived from the original on 31 March 2019. Retrieved 31 January 2019.
  36. ^ "Lavrov Blasts Estonia, Latvia on Non-Citizens Issue". Estonian World Review. 1 March 2011. Archived from the original on 1 February 2019. Retrieved 31 January 2019.
  37. ^ Aliide Naylor, The Shadow in the East: Vladimir Putin and the New Baltic Front (2020).
  38. ^ a b "Ukraine: purpose of upcoming Defender Europe 2021 exercise is to practice for war with Russia". UAWire. 4 April 2021. Archived from the original on 19 January 2022. Retrieved 21 April 2021.
  39. ^ "Massive, Army-led NATO exercise Defender Europe kicks off". Army Times. 15 March 2021. Archived from the original on 23 January 2022. Retrieved 21 April 2021.
  40. ^ "Germany Says Russia Seeking To 'Provoke' With Troop Buildup At Ukraine's Border". Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty. 14 April 2021. Archived from the original on 20 April 2021. Retrieved 21 April 2021.
  41. ^ Isachenkov, Vladimir; Karmanau, Yuras (17 January 2022). "Russia denies looking for pretext to invade Ukraine". Associated Press. Archived from the original on 22 January 2022. Retrieved 22 January 2022.
  42. ^ "Russia slams US' words about plans to justify alleged invasion of Ukraine as nonsense". TASS. 4 February 2022. Archived from the original on 12 February 2022. Retrieved 12 February 2022.
  43. ^ "Russia's Sergei Lavrov describes Liz Truss talks as 'speaking to a deaf person' as Ukraine tensions escalate". Inews.co.uk. 10 February 2022. Archived from the original on 12 February 2022. Retrieved 12 February 2022.
  44. ^ "British diplomacy gets a frosty reception in Moscow". Politico. 10 February 2022. Archived from the original on 24 February 2022. Retrieved 12 February 2022.
  45. ^ "The Undignified Fall of Russia's Once-Dignified Diplomatic Corps". 16 May 2024.
  46. ^ "The Undignified Fall of Russia's Once-Dignified Diplomatic Corps". The Foreign Policy. 31 August 2022. Archived from the original on 10 January 2023. Retrieved 10 January 2023.
  47. ^ "How Putin blundered into Ukraine — then doubled down". Financial Times. 23 February 2023.
  48. ^ "Russia Says Invasion to 'Free Ukrainians From Oppression'". The Moscow Times. 25 February 2022. Archived from the original on 26 February 2022. Retrieved 26 February 2022.
  49. ^ "Ukraine conflict: UK to impose sanctions on Russia's President Putin". BBC News. 25 February 2022. Archived from the original on 1 March 2022. Retrieved 26 February 2022.
  50. ^ "Ukraine invasion: West imposes sanctions on Russia's Putin and Lavrov". BBC News. 26 February 2022. Archived from the original on 27 February 2022. Retrieved 26 February 2022.
  51. ^ "Russia-related Designations". United States Department of the Treasury. Archived from the original on 26 February 2022. Retrieved 26 February 2022.
  52. ^ Evans, Jake (26 February 2022). "Vladimir Putin to face personal sanctions from Australia, as it plans to join international punishment". ABC News. Archived from the original on 11 March 2022. Retrieved 11 March 2022.
  53. ^ a b "Watch: U.N. Envoys Stage Walkout As Russia's Lavrov Begins Address". NBC News. YouTube. 1 March 2022. Archived from the original on 19 May 2022. Retrieved 19 May 2022.
  54. ^ "Lavrov embodies Moscow's steely posture". AP news. 2 March 2022. Archived from the original on 7 March 2022.
  55. ^ "Russian actions aim to save people, demilitarize, denazify Ukraine — Lavrov". TASS. 1 March 2022. Archived from the original on 19 May 2022. Retrieved 19 May 2022.
  56. ^ "Lavrov: No strikes being made on civilian infrastructure in Ukraine". Interfax. 25 February 2022.
  57. ^ "Interview des Außenministers der Russischen Föderation, Sergej Lawrow, für den TV-Sender Al Jazeera, Moskau, 2. März 2022" Archived 11 March 2022 at the Wayback Machine (in German) mid.ru/de/foreign_policy/news. Retrieved 6 March 2022.
  58. ^ a b "Ukraine war: Russia 'did not attack Ukraine' says Lavrov after meeting Kuleba". Euronews. 10 March 2022.
  59. ^ "Maternity hospital occupied by Azov battalion, claims Russian foreign minister Lavrov after strike". WION. 11 March 2022.
  60. ^ "Russia-China relations at strongest level ever, says Lavrov". Reuters. 28 March 2022. Archived from the original on 9 January 2023. Retrieved 9 January 2023.
  61. ^ "Russia's Lavrov 'Appreciates' Neutral India Stand on Ukraine". Bloomberg. 1 April 2022. Archived from the original on 24 April 2022. Retrieved 9 January 2023.
  62. ^ "Russia praises India's neutral stance on Ukraine fighting". AP News. 1 April 2022. Archived from the original on 9 January 2023. Retrieved 9 January 2023.
  63. ^ Smith, David (7 April 2022). "Russia suspended from human rights council after UN general assembly vote". Guardian News & Media Limited. Archived from the original on 8 April 2022. Retrieved 19 May 2022.
  64. ^ Livingstone, Helen (26 April 2022). "Russia accuses Nato of 'proxy war' in Ukraine as US hosts crucial defence summit". The Guardian. Archived from the original on 3 May 2022. Retrieved 29 May 2022.
  65. ^ "Ukraine: Boris Johnson rejects 'NATO proxy war' allegations, as Russia cuts gas supplies". Euronews. 27 April 2022. Archived from the original on 21 May 2022. Retrieved 29 May 2022.
  66. ^ Balmer, Crispian (3 May 2022). "Israel demands apology after Russia says Hitler had Jewish roots". Reuters. Archived from the original on 2 May 2022. Retrieved 3 May 2022.
  67. ^ Roth, Andrew (2 May 2022). "Israel summons Russia envoy over minister's Hitler comments". the Guardian. Archived from the original on 2 May 2022. Retrieved 3 May 2022.
  68. ^ a b Squires, Nick; Cheeseman, Abbie (2 May 2022). "Sergey Lavrov claims Hitler had 'Jewish blood'". The Telegraph. Archived from the original on 2 May 2022. Retrieved 2 May 2022.
  69. ^ Goldenberg, Tia (2 May 2022). "Israel lashes out at Russia over Lavrov's Nazism remarks". Associated Press. Archived from the original on 2 May 2022. Retrieved 2 May 2022.
  70. ^ Lis, Jonathan; Aderet, Ofer. "Bennett Condemns Russian FM's Hitler 'Lies'". Haaretz. Archived from the original on 2 May 2022. Retrieved 2 May 2022.
  71. ^ "Putin Apologized for Russia Hitler Claims – Israel PM's Office". The Moscow Times. 5 May 2022. Archived from the original on 5 May 2022. Retrieved 5 May 2022.
  72. ^ "Deborah Lipstadt interview with Walter Isaacson". Amanpour and Company. PBS. 10 June 2022. [1] Archived 14 June 2022 at the Wayback Machine
  73. ^ "Lavrov: The West has declared a 'total hybrid war' against Russia". Sky News. YouTube. 14 May 2022. Archived from the original on 18 May 2022. Retrieved 18 May 2022.
  74. ^ "Russia-Ukraine war: Lavrov 'forced to cancel Serbia visit'". Al Jazeera. 6 June 2022. Archived from the original on 6 June 2022. Retrieved 6 June 2022.
  75. ^ "Russia will help Ukrainians 'get rid of regime', says Lavrov". Al Jazeera. 25 July 2022. Archived from the original on 10 January 2023. Retrieved 10 January 2023.
  76. ^ "Russia's Lavrov: Either Ukraine fulfils Moscow's proposals or the issue will be decided by our army". Sky News. 26 December 2022. Archived from the original on 10 January 2023. Retrieved 10 January 2023.
  77. ^ "Lavrov: Russia is not squeaky clean and not ashamed". BBC.com. 16 June 2022. Archived from the original on 17 June 2022. Retrieved 17 June 2022.
  78. ^ Wintour, Patrick (8 July 2022). "Lavrov walks out of G20 talks after denying Russia is causing food crisis". Guardian News & Media Limited. Archived from the original on 8 July 2022. Retrieved 8 July 2022.
  79. ^ "Russia faces Ukraine heat as G20 foreign ministers meet". Deutsche Welle. 8 July 2022. Archived from the original on 8 July 2022. Retrieved 8 July 2022.
  80. ^ "West giving arms to Ukraine will expand Russian aims: Russia" Archived 20 July 2022 at the Wayback Machine, Anadolu Agency, 20 July 2022
  81. ^ Susie Blann (26 July 2022). "Russia seeks regime change in Ukraine, says Kremlin's top diplomat". Archived from the original on 27 July 2022. Retrieved 27 July 2022.
  82. ^ "Lavrov says Russia open to talks with West, U.S. dismisses comments as 'posturing'". Reuters. 11 October 2022. Archived from the original on 5 November 2022. Retrieved 5 November 2022.
  83. ^ "Лавров заявил, что Россия не отказывается от переговоров с Украиной". РБК (in Russian). 11 September 2022. Archived from the original on 5 November 2022. Retrieved 5 November 2022.
  84. ^ a b "Lavrov defends Russian attacks on Ukraine's infrastructure". Al Jazeera. 1 December 2022.
  85. ^ "Draft Dodging And Cannon Fodder: How Mobilization Has Exposed Putin's Big Lie". TechCrunch. 22 September 2022. Archived from the original on 25 September 2022. Retrieved 25 September 2022.
  86. ^ "Defiant Russia shows up late to UN, leaves early". Australian Financial Review. 22 September 2022. Archived from the original on 28 September 2022. Retrieved 5 November 2022.
  87. ^ "Russia vows "full protection" to territories annexed from Ukraine". Axios. 25 September 2022. Archived from the original on 25 September 2022. Retrieved 25 September 2022.
  88. ^ "Lavrov, at the UN, pledges 'full protection' for any territory annexed by Russia". Reuters. 24 September 2022. Archived from the original on 1 October 2022. Retrieved 25 September 2022.
  89. ^ "Russia's Lavrov denies report of heart condition hospitalisation". Al Jazeera. 14 November 2022. Archived from the original on 14 November 2022. Retrieved 14 November 2022.
  90. ^ "Moscow To Achieve Ukraine Goals Thanks to 'Patience' - Lavrov". The Moscow Times. 28 December 2022. Archived from the original on 30 December 2022. Retrieved 30 December 2022.
  91. ^ "Russian Minister Lavrov Laughed At". BBC Moscow Times. 4 March 2023. Archived from the original on 4 March 2023. Retrieved 4 March 2023.
  92. ^ Tyler, Melissa Conley (7 March 2023). "Why outrage over the war in Ukraine isn't universal". Australian Strategic Policy Institute.
  93. ^ Grossman D. (March 20, 2023) India Can Bridge the U.S.-Russia Divide over Ukraine rand.org. Accessed 9 April 2023.
  94. ^ "Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov visits Turkey" Archived 14 April 2023 at the Wayback Machine foreignbrief.com. April 6, 2023. Accessed 13 April 2023.
  95. ^ "Any Ukraine Peace Talks Should Be About 'New World Order' – Lavrov". The Moscow Times. 7 April 2023.
  96. ^ "Russia's Top Diplomat: Germany's Leaders Have 'Nazi Genes'". The Daily Beast. 17 May 2023.
  97. ^ Muni, Sachin (18 January 2024). ""Drone Attack On St Petersburg", Ukraine Buys First French Arms, Russia Says West Not "Trustworthy"". CRUX. YouTube.
  98. ^ "Russia's Lavrov courts Africa in quest for more non-Western friends". Reuters. 26 July 2022. Archived from the original on 9 January 2023. Retrieved 9 January 2023.
  99. ^ "Russia's reengagement with Africa pays off". Deutsche Welle. 26 July 2022. Archived from the original on 31 May 2022. Retrieved 9 January 2023.
  100. ^ "Russia FM Lavrov calls for efforts to protect international laws during Vietnam visit". The Straits Times. 6 July 2022. Archived from the original on 10 January 2023. Retrieved 10 January 2023.
  101. ^ "Russia's 'traditional friendship' with China remains strong, foreign minister Sergey Lavrov says". South China Morning Post. 29 July 2022. Archived from the original on 9 January 2023. Retrieved 9 January 2023.
  102. ^ "Pariah Solidarity: Myanmar-Russia Relations Blossom Amid Western Sanctions". The Diplomat. 5 August 2022. Archived from the original on 10 January 2023. Retrieved 10 January 2023.
  103. ^ LEDERER, EDITH M. (2 September 2022). "Russia 'alarmed' at no US visas to attend UN leaders meeting". Star Tribune. Associated Press.[permanent dead link‍]
  104. ^ "Russia backs India, Brazil for permanent membership in UN Security Council". The Economic Times. 25 September 2022. Archived from the original on 10 January 2023. Retrieved 10 January 2023.
  105. ^ "Russia's Lavrov in Iraq for Energy Talks". VOA News. 5 February 2023.
  106. ^ Zaytsev, Vadim (17 February 2023). "What's Behind Russia's Charm Offensive in Africa?". Carnegie Endowment for International Peace.
  107. ^ "Russia's Lavrov Gets Controversial Welcome in South Africa". The Moscow Times. 23 January 2023.
  108. ^ "Lavrov, back from Africa, says West has failed to 'isolate' Russia". Reuters. 10 February 2023.
  109. ^ "Brazil's Lula meets Lavrov amid US barbs on Ukraine stance". Al Jazeera. 17 April 2023.
  110. ^ SRF Tagesschau vom 19.4.2023 (in German). Accessed 19 April 2023.
  111. ^ "Russian minister attends meeting of developing economies as bloc discusses adding Saudi Arabia, Iran". Associated Press. 1 June 2023.
  112. ^ "BRICS open to enlargement in call for 'multipolar' world". Deutsche Welle. 1 June 2023.
  113. ^ Zhang, Stevie (24 August 2023). "Never heard of BRICS? Here's what it is and why more than 40 countries are keen to join". ABC News.
  114. ^ "Putin arrest warrant issued over war crime allegations". BBC News. 17 March 2023. Archived from the original on 17 March 2023. Retrieved 17 March 2023.
  115. ^ "Situation in Ukraine: ICC judges issue arrest warrants against Vladimir Vladimirovich Putin and Maria Alekseyevna Lvova-Belova". International Criminal Court. Press Release. 17 March 2023. Archived from the original on 17 March 2023. Retrieved 17 March 2023.
  116. ^ "Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov's interview for the RT channel, Moscow, November 15, 2023". The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Russian Federation.
  117. ^ "Russia says Israeli bombardment of Gaza is against international law". Al Jazeera. 28 October 2023.
  118. ^ "Russia calls for 'immediate end to bloodshed'". Al Jazeera. 16 November 2023.
  119. ^ "Lavrov appears to liken Israel's war on Hamas in Gaza to Russia's invasion of Ukraine". Times of Israel. 28 December 2023.
  120. ^ "Objectives of Israel's and Russia's Wars 'nearly Identical' – Did Lavrov Shift Position on Gaza?". Palestine Chronicle. 28 December 2023.
  121. ^ "Ukraine Struggles to Court Global South Before Swiss Summit". SWI swissinfo. 14 June 2024.
  122. ^ Hayes, Rupert Wingfield (15 December 2007). "Russia's deep suspicion of the West". Bbc.co.uk. Archived from the original on 16 December 2007. Retrieved 14 December 2017.
  123. ^ "Interview of S.V. Lavrov, Minister of Foreign Affairs of Russia, to Channel One on 90th Anniversary of FC Spartak". The Ministry of Foreign Affairs Russian Federation. Archived from the original on 12 January 2014. Retrieved 27 May 2013.
  124. ^ Berry, Lynn (4 December 2012). "Russia's leaders battered by 'sports injuries'". Associated Press. Archived from the original on 5 October 2015. Retrieved 27 May 2013.
  125. ^ "Дочь Сергея Лаврова: "Я хотела связать жизнь с русским" | StarHit.ru". www.starhit.ru (in Russian). Archived from the original on 6 February 2020. Retrieved 15 February 2022.
  126. ^ «Сейчас элита принимает решение — на чьей она стороне..» Министр Лавров перевез свою дочь из Нью-Йорка в Москву. Кто следующий?. URA.ru (in Russian). 17 September 2014. Archived from the original on 15 October 2014. Retrieved 9 October 2014.
  127. ^ "Daughter of Sergey Lavrov: "I wanted to connect life with a Russian"" (in Russian). Starhit. 25 February 2017. Archived from the original on 6 February 2020. Retrieved 6 February 2020.
  128. ^ "MPs call for sanctions on UK 'second family' of Sergei Lavrov". the Guardian. 11 March 2022. Archived from the original on 11 March 2022. Retrieved 12 March 2022.
  129. ^ a b Johnson, Miles; Cook, Chris (25 March 2022). "Polina Kovaleva's London flat and the task of tracing Russia's dirty money". Financial Times. Archived from the original on 25 March 2022. Retrieved 26 March 2022.
  130. ^ a b Johnston, Neil. "The London life of Sergey Lavrov's stepdaughter". The Times. ISSN 0140-0460. Archived from the original on 11 March 2022. Retrieved 12 March 2022.
  131. ^ "Inside the Lavish London Lifestyle of Sergey Lavrov's Stepdaughter". www.vice.com. 11 March 2022. Archived from the original on 12 March 2022. Retrieved 12 March 2022.
  132. ^ "Polina Kovaleva's London flat and the task of tracing Russia's dirty money". Financial Times. 25 March 2022. Archived from the original on 25 March 2022. Retrieved 25 March 2022.
  133. ^ "Polina Kovaleva: Russian foreign minister's London-based 'stepdaughter', 26, sanctioned by UK". MSN News. 25 March 2022. Archived from the original on 25 March 2022. Retrieved 25 March 2022.
  134. ^ "Ukraine invasion: West imposes sanctions on Russia's Putin and Lavrov". BBC. Archived from the original on 28 February 2022. Retrieved 28 February 2022.
  135. ^ "Japan freezes assets of Russia's central bank as part of new sanctions". Reuters. 1 March 2022. Archived from the original on 5 November 2022. Retrieved 5 November 2022.
  136. ^ Porter, Tom. "UK sanctions daughter of Russia's foreign minister, who somehow bought a $5 million apartment in London in cash aged 21". Business Insider. Archived from the original on 5 November 2022. Retrieved 5 November 2022.
  137. ^ "Canada sanctions Putin's daughters, sending Ukraine 'heavy artillery'". CTVNews. 19 April 2022. Archived from the original on 5 November 2022. Retrieved 5 November 2022.
  138. ^ "Australia imposes sanctions on more than 140 Russian citizens, including the daughters of Vladimir Putin". The Journal Times. Archived from the original on 5 November 2022. Retrieved 5 November 2022.
  139. ^ "Han er Putins høgre hand og æresdoktor ved UiT. — Ikkje eit problem, seier rektor". 18 February 2022. Archived from the original on 2 July 2022. Retrieved 17 June 2022.
  140. ^ "Styret tar fra Lavrov æresdoktoratet ved UiT". Khrono. Archived from the original on 28 February 2022. Retrieved 28 February 2022.
  141. ^ Комитет почетных членов ИППО [Committee of honorary members of the IOPS] (in Russian). The Imperial Orthodox Palestine Society. Archived from the original on 14 December 2017. Retrieved 14 December 2017.
  142. ^ "Электронная версия печатного издания "Национальный реестр правовых актов Республики Беларусь"". 12 June 2006.
  143. ^ "Sergey Lavrov Awarded Highest Honors in Burkina Faso". 6 June 2024.
  144. ^ "Activities of State Officials : Russian Foreign Minister". 8 September 2020.
  145. ^ "Ермек Кошербаев вручил Сергею Лаврову орден "Барыс"". 22 January 2011.
  146. ^ "Назарбаев вручил награду главе МИД РФ Сергею Лаврову". 16 June 2012.
  147. ^ "ПРЕЗИДЕНТ КЫРГЫЗСКОЙ РЕСПУБЛИКИ". 17 June 2017.
  148. ^ "Лавров получил степень командора национального ордена Мали". 7 February 2023.
  149. ^ "Лавров награжден высшим орденом Перу". 11 September 2007. Archived from the original on 11 January 2012. Retrieved 29 March 2023.
  150. ^ "Лавров удостоен ордена Республики Сербской". 28 September 2018.
  151. ^ "Укази о одликовањима". 23 January 2024.
  152. ^ "Sergey Lavrov receives Order of the Union from Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi". 9 March 2011.
  153. ^ "О награждении Лаврова Сергея Викторовича орденом "Дўстлик"". 28 March 2020.
  154. ^ "Lavrov will discuss trade and economic cooperation on visit to Greece". TASS. 2 November 2016. Archived from the original on 4 November 2016. Retrieved 2 November 2016.

Further reading

  • Gvosdev, Nikolas K.; Marsh, Christopher (2013). Russian Foreign Policy: Interests, Vectors, and Sectors. Washington: CQ Press. doi:10.4135/9781506335391. ISBN 9781452234847.
  • Kaukas, Erikas. "Analysis of Securitization of the Baltic States in the Rhetoric of Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov." Lithuanian Annual Strategic Review 17.1 (2019): 211–229.
  • Miskimmon, Alister, and Ben O'Loughlin. "Russia's Narratives of Global Order: Great Power Legacies in a Polycentric World." Politics and governance 5.3 (2017): 111–120. online
  • Rosefielde, Steven. Putin's Russia: Economy, Defence and Foreign Policy (2020) excerpt
  • Rotaru, Vasile. "'Mimicking' the West? Russia's legitimization discourse from Georgia war to the annexation of Crimea." Communist and Post-Communist Studies 52.4 (2019): 311–321. online
  • Sakwa, Richard (2017). Russia against the Rest: The Post-Cold War Crisis of World Order. Cambridge University Press. p. 362. ISBN 978-1-3166-7588-5.
  • Saul, Norman E. (2014). Historical Dictionary of Russian and Soviet Foreign Policy. Rowman & Littlefield. ISBN 978-0-8108-6806-9.
  • Ziegler, Charles E. "Russian Diplomacy: Challenging the West." Whitehead Journal of Diplomacy and International Relations 19 (2018): 74+ online.
Diplomatic posts
Preceded by Russian Ambassador to the United Nations
1994–2004 		Succeeded by
Political offices
Preceded by Minister of Foreign Affairs of Russia
2004–present 		Incumbent
Retrieved from "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Sergey_Lavrov&oldid=1253481067"