On March 9, 2004, Sergey Lavrov was officially appointed as minister of foreign affairs of the Russian Federation by a presidential decree.
In the years that followed, Lavrov practically became the face of Russian diplomacy abroad, earning the reputation of a professional, no-nonsense envoy and a tough negotiator who always looks out for his country’s interests.
He coordinated Russia's diplomatic efforts when the country completed its recovery from the aftermath of the USSR's fall and once again asserted itself as a world power whose interests cannot be infringed by anyone.
During his twenty-year ministerial tenure, Lavrov has also displayed his remarkable wit and a penchant for dry humor on many occasions, as can be seen in this video compilation by Sputnik featuring some of the more memorable moments of Lavrov’s career so far.