15.11.2026 15:21
Former UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson's account of his 2017 meeting with Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov has sparked a new debate. Johnson said Lavrov seated him next to a burning fireplace and forced him to drink a large amount of alcohol. Russian Foreign Ministry Spokeswoman Maria Zakharova, however, opposed Johnson's account, arguing that he consumed the drinks of his own free will and kept asking for more.
Former UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson recounted his 2017 meeting with Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov, when he served as foreign secretary.
Johnson claimed that during the meeting, Lavrov seated him right next to a blazing fireplace and forced him to drink large amounts of alcohol.
Comparing what he experienced to punishments used in Victorian-era boys' boarding schools, Johnson also called Lavrov “a disgusting man.”
ZAKHAROVA RESPONDS: HE KEPT ASKING FOR MORE
Russian Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Maria Zakharova responded to Johnson's statements.
Zakharova argued that the former British prime minister's account did not reflect the truth and stated that Johnson drank of his own accord during the meeting.
Saying that Johnson constantly asked for more alcohol, Zakharova said, “He could have chosen the wine right in front of him. But he preferred to drink as much as he liked. I remember that lunch.”
TWO DIFFERENT ACCOUNTS OF THE SAME TABLE
At the center of the dispute between the two figures are the events of the diplomatic meeting held in 2017.
While Johnson maintains that Lavrov hosted him under uncomfortable conditions and pressured him to drink, Zakharova says the former British prime minister acted entirely according to his own choices in consuming alcohol.
Despite the years that have passed, the parties' accounts of the meeting—which has become a subject of debate again—differ from one another.
RUSSIAN PRESS ALSO REPORTED THE DISPUTE
Russia-based RBC and Fontanka newspapers reported Johnson's statements and Zakharova's response on November 15, 2026.
The meeting at the center of the dispute took place in Moscow on December 22, 2017. Johnson, then UK foreign secretary, aimed to improve relations with Russia. The meeting covered issues such as Iran's nuclear program, relations with China, and security for the 2018 World Cup.
There is no independent verification of who is telling the truth in the incident that Johnson recounted years later.