The concern of EU foreign policy chief, Josep Borrell, according to Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov, about being less popular in the media than Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov are valid.

"He rightly complained that he really is less popular than Lavrov. He has no chance here," Peskov told reporters. 

On July 26, Borrell complained that Lavrov received greater attention in the Western media than he should, thus giving Russia an advantage and legitimacy in its actions despite the Ukraine war. The EU foreign policy chief made these remarks in an interview with the Spanish radio station Cadena SER.

More specifically, Borrell referenced Lavrov’s latest Africa trip. The chief had made a comparison between his visit and Lavrov’s visit to Africa and how the two were differently reported by the media. He was quoted by RT as he told the Spanish radio that "Lavrov goes to Africa and tries to persuade the Africans that sanctions are to blame for all that’s happening... and the whole of the Western media repeats it."

He further added that when he visited Africa to explain, according to his statement, that sanctions are not to blame but rather Russia is for the food and energy crisis, Borrell says no Western media picked it up. Borrell criticized the media's coverage of Lavrov and claimed that it had a tendency to give the "enemy" airtime.

Read more: Borrell: The EU is losing the narrative on Ukraine