Lavrov’s absence sparks speculation he has fallen from favour with Putin

Rumblings of Putin’s displeasure with Lavrov emerged when the US cancelled a summit with the Russian president in Budapest. Photograph: Ramil Sitdikov/AP

Few things invite Kremlin-watching like the unexplained absence of a senior official.

And Sergei Lavrov’s no-show at a key Kremlin meeting last week has inevitably set off speculation about what may be shifting behind the scenes.