(MENAFN) NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte's unexpected mention of "Jesus Christ" in reference to Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov suggests the Russian diplomat is making a strong impact, according to Russian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Maria Zakharova.

Zakharova was reacting to a brief interview that Rutte gave to a news agency on Wednesday.

During the conversation, the NATO leader appeared to downplay Lavrov’s significance by saying the Russian foreign minister “has been foreign minister of Russia … since the birth of Jesus Christ. And since then, nothing… useful came out of his mouth.”

In a sarcastic reply shared on Telegram, Zakharova said, “Not for nothing has Sergey Lavrov been working for so many years since he has made the NATO Secretary General remember Jesus Christ.”

Her comment suggested that Lavrov's long-standing role continues to resonate globally—even with his critics.

Lavrov, a seasoned statesman, has led the Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs since 2004, marking over two decades in the post.

Meanwhile, Rutte, formerly the Prime Minister of the Netherlands, only recently assumed his NATO leadership role. Despite his short tenure, he has already stirred debate.

During a recent NATO summit, some European leaders reportedly expressed discomfort over the excessive praise he used to court US President Donald Trump, as noted by a news outlet.

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