Sergey Lavrov

Sergey Viktorovich Lavrov is a Russian diplomat and politician who has served as Minister of Foreign Affairs of Russia since 2004.

Sergey Viktorovich Lavrov is a Russian diplomat and politician who has served as Minister of Foreign Affairs of Russia since 2004. He previously represented Russia at the United Nations from 1994 to 2004. Lavrov is one of Russia’s longest-serving top foreign-policy officials and has been a central public figure in Russian diplomacy for more than two decades.

Early life and education

Lavrov was born in Moscow on 21 March 1950. He graduated from the Moscow State Institute of International Relations in 1972 and began his diplomatic career in Soviet foreign service.

Diplomatic career

He served in diplomatic posts including work at the Soviet embassy in Sri Lanka and as Russia’s permanent representative to the United Nations from 1994 to 2004. He became foreign minister under President Vladimir Putin in 2004.

Foreign minister

Lavrov has led Russia’s foreign ministry since 2004, making him one of the longest-serving foreign ministers in the world. Russian official sources say he was reappointed in 2024.

Public role and international profile

Lavrov is widely associated with Russia’s official foreign-policy line in major international disputes, including the war in Ukraine. Canada has imposed sanctions on him in connection with Russia’s 2022 invasion of Ukraine, and he remains a major figure in Russia–West relations. He has also received multiple state honours from Russia.