Lavrov Is Sidelined From Ukraine Talks as Putin Leans on 2 Other Channels
Updated
Updated · Kyiv Independent · May 19
Lavrov Is Sidelined From Ukraine Talks as Putin Leans on 2 Other Channels
5 articles · Updated · Kyiv Independent · May 19
Sergey Lavrov has been almost completely cut out of Russia’s negotiations on ending the war in Ukraine, according to two Ukrainian officials and one U.S. official.
Yuri Ushakov and Kirill Dmitriev now drive Moscow’s outreach to Washington, with Dmitriev described by one Ukrainian official as Putin’s main channel to Donald Trump’s team.
Lavrov’s hardline line helped push him aside: he publicly said Russia was in no rush for talks, insisted Moscow’s demands were non-negotiable, and at times undercut softer Kremlin messaging.
An October Budapest summit plan between Trump and Putin collapsed after Lavrov’s call with Marco Rubio reinforced that Moscow would not make concessions, leading Trump to call the meeting a potential waste of time.
Lavrov remains foreign minister and still speaks occasionally with U.S. officials, but Kyiv now sees little value in engaging him directly because he no longer shapes the negotiating track.
With Russia's top diplomat sidelined, is a financial envoy now setting the terms for peace in Ukraine?
Is Russia's multi-trillion-dollar economic proposal a genuine peace plan or a new form of energy blackmail?
From Lavrov to Ushakov and Dmitriev: The New Faces of Russian Diplomacy in Ukraine Negotiations, 2026
Overview
By mid-2026, Russia’s diplomatic landscape has shifted as Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov’s already limited influence in Ukraine peace negotiations diminished further, creating a vacuum in key discussions with Washington. This gap is now filled by new figures, especially Yuri Ushakov and Kirill Dmitriev, who are shaping Russia’s foreign policy in this sensitive area. Ushakov’s and Dmitriev’s rise reflects both a generational transition—since Lavrov and Ushakov’s age is a factor—and a strategic recalibration, with Dmitriev emerging as a significant player for the long term. These changes mark a notable move away from traditional diplomatic channels.