According to information from the Russian Embassy, the solemn handover ceremony was held at the Kremlin on May 22.
Speaking at the award ceremony, President Putin said that the talent, knowledge, experience and intelligence of Russia's top diplomat Sergei Lavrov have brought him absolute respect both domestically and internationally, not only from friends but also from geopolitical opponents.
"The foundation of this recognition is our loyalty to Russia, our determination to protect the country's interests in all circumstances. It is a long-term task, huge in scale and complexity, full of stress for the benefit of the Fatherland. Mr. Sergei Lavrov has been awarded one of our most prestigious awards - the Andrey Pervozvanny Cross," President Putin said.
For his part, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov expressed his great honor to receive the award and listen to President Putin's speeches.
"I would like to say from the bottom of my heart: I consider this decision of the president to be the assessment of our entire collective in performing the tasks set out by the President in the field of foreign affairs. I fully believe that today's event with the award of the Medal will inspire all my colleagues to continue working more positively, meeting the increasing demands in the international school.
According to Decree No. 160 of the President of the Russian Federation dated March 21, 2025, for his outstanding contributions to the Fatherland, great contributions to the construction and implementation of the foreign policy of the Russian Federation, and long-term effective state activities, Foreign Minister Sergei Viktorovich Lavrov was awarded the Andrey Pervozvanny Stake Medal.
