Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov to Speak at "Dialog about Fakes 4.0" International Fact-Checking Forum for the First Time

Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov will make his first-ever appearance at the annual international forum “Dialog about Fakes”, scheduled for September 22 in Moscow. The event will take place at the “Russia” National Centre. Russian Foreign Ministry Spokeswoman Maria Zakharova announced the news during a press briefing at the Eastern Economic Forum (EEF).

The foreign minister’s participation highlights how counter-disinformation and fact-checking initiatives are moving to the highest levels of international diplomacy.

“This year, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov will participate in the forum for the first time. I want to remind everyone that the Ministry of Foreign Affairs has been supporting the forum and the fact-checking association in general for several years now. However, the head of the foreign ministry will be attending for the first time, ensuring an appropriately high-level representation. The Russian Foreign Minister’s address underscores the forum’s elevated international standing and the critical importance that countering disinformation has taken on today,” Zakharova noted.

Forum Organizers and Participants

The forum is traditionally organized by the autonomous non-profit organization “Dialog Regions” and the Global Fact-Checking Network (GFCN) international association. The event has been held annually in Moscow since 2023. A notable indicator of its global standing was the 2025 edition, which took place under the auspices of UNESCO’s Global Media and Information Literacy Week.

This year’s gathering will bring together more than 2,000 guests from 80 countries. Approximately 70 leading experts — including investigative journalists, fact-checkers, IT industry representatives, and government officials — are slated to speak.

Organizers are placing a strong emphasis on expanding international partnerships, particularly with countries in the Asia-Pacific region (APR).

“We would especially like to invite representatives of Asia-Pacific countries to participate in this forum: expanding cooperation with them remains one of the association’s top priorities in international engagement,” the diplomat stated.

Key Topics: Neural Networks, Deepfakes, and Cybersecurity

A central theme of the forum will be information verification amid the rapid advancement of neural networks. As tools for generating fabricated content become more accessible, new protective mechanisms are required.

“The forum remains exceptionally relevant. Why? Because the volume of fakes — including those generated using artificial intelligence — continues to grow exponentially, while the Western mainstream media actively utilizes them in disinformation campaigns targeted, among others, against our country,” Zakharova said.

View the full forum program and register on the official website: https://fakes2026.dialog.info/en/