Rumours of a deepening rift inside the Kremlin intensified after Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov missed key meetings and was replaced at major international forums, sparking speculation of a possible “Putin–Lavrov split.” Western media framed the absence as a sign of diminishing trust, especially after Lavrov’s call with U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio preceded the cancellation of a planned Putin–Trump summit. The Kremlin, however, moved quickly to shut down the narrative, with spokesperson Dmitry Peskov calling all reports “untrue” and reaffirming Lavrov’s position. The controversy comes as Moscow and Washington struggle to revive stalled diplomatic engagement.