Data collection and text: Julia Lasiota ; Maps: Natalia Matiaszczyk
In the first half of 2025, the Russian abroad Minister, Sergei Lavrow, held an intensive series of diplomatic meetings, visiting countries on 5 continents. Its activity was peculiarly visible in the face of the deepening isolation of Russia internationally after the prolonged invasion of Ukraine, the increasing dependence on China, the unstable situation in the mediate East and the continuing tensions with the West. Lavrov's most activities were in the region of the mediate East and North Africa, Europe and Central Asia and Latin America and the Caribbean. He performed much of his diplomacy in the Global South countries, both through physical visits and telephone calls.
This demonstrates Russia's desire to keep individual contact with non-Western partners: especially in Southeast Asia, Africa and Latin America, but besides in erstwhile USSR and CIS countries. Lavrow did not visit any EU countries or the US. In the case of contacts with Western countries, neutral global formats specified as BRICS summits, UN summits and meetings with representatives of global organisations prevailed. However, it is worth mentioning the talks of representatives of the US and Russia in Saudi Arabia, as well as the many telephone contacts of Lavrov with Secretary of State Marco Rubio.
Looking at the actions of Lavrov, the key regions for the Russian Federation present stay South America, Asia and Africa. Regardless of whether the talks afraid energy, military or diplomatic cooperation, the directions of the Lavrow meetings show that Russia inactive aspires to the function of a global player, aspiration to dialog with representatives of both authoritarian states and those neutral against Russian aggression against Ukraine.
