Sergei Viktorovich Lavrov is a Russian diplomat who has served as the Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Russian Federation since 2004, making him one of the longest-serving foreign ministers in modern history. He is a career diplomat who joined the Soviet Ministry of Foreign Affairs in 1972 after graduating from the Moscow State Institute of International Relations (MGIMO). Lavrov served as the Permanent Representative of Russia to the United Nations from 1994 to 2004, where he became known for his sharp, often confrontational rhetoric in defense of Russian interests. Appointed Foreign Minister by President Vladimir Putin, Lavrov has been a central figure in articulating and executing Russia's assertive foreign policy, including during the 2008 war with Georgia, the 2014 annexation of Crimea, the Syrian civil war (where he proposed chemical weapons plans), and the 2022 full-scale invasion of Ukraine. He is widely regarded as a staunch defender of the Putin administration's worldview, emphasizing multipolarity, sovereignty, and opposition to Western hegemony. His tenure has been marked by deteriorating relations with the West, culminating in Russia's international isolation following the 2022 invasion.