The French Presidency denies as fake news the comments that quickly spread on the internet, according to which drugs were on board the train on which French President Emmanuel Macron, British Prime Minister Keir Starmer, and Chancellor Friedrich Merz traveled to Kiev.
Macron, Starmer, and Merz traveled to Kiev on Saturday as part of the „Volunteers’ Coalition.” They appear relaxed and smiling in images and clips, on board the night train, around a table.
Two objects on a table, appearing in low-quality images, have become the center of speculation.
An object presented by commentators as a cocaine sachet, which Emmanuel Macron picks up, and a long, thin object next to Friedrich Merz presented as a "cocaine spoon."
Russian sources noted that Macron quickly hid the sachet when journalists entered the compartment.
What was actually on the table
These speculations were taken up by conspiracy accounts and certain campaigns suspected of being organized by Russia.
Two French political figures picked up on these speculations - a former associate of Marine Le Pen, Florian Philippot, and Nicolas Dupont-Aignan, who compared Macron to a "teenager caught in the act."
These comments gained such momentum that the Élysée Palace, which does not usually react to these gross campaigns in recent years, responded on X and denounced false information.
"When international unity is disrupted, disinformation goes so far as to turn a simple tissue into drugs. This false information is spread by France's enemies, both abroad and at home. Beware of manipulations," said the French Presidency, which published an image of better quality than those commented on, clearly showing a napkin.
The "cocaine spoon" is nothing but a bamboo stick.
"This is a napkin, to blow your nose," writes on the image published by the French Presidency.
"This is European unity moving peace forward," writes on a second image where the allies are about to sit at the table.
Additionally, Emmanuel Macron posted on Facebook a backstage video of the joint trip that European leaders took to Kiev on May 10, including the moment when he called US President Donald Trump in the early hours of the morning, Washington time.
Macron shows how he called Trump
"Hello, Donald," Macron says. "Can I call you in two minutes with Zelensky?... He accepted what you proposed in your message, meaning the ceasefire for 30 days, etc. So he's ready to announce. I'll call you back in two minutes with the others," he tells the US President.
Ukraine and its European allies, along with the United States, gave an ultimatum to Vladimir Putin on Saturday to accept a "complete and unconditional" 30-day ceasefire, starting on Monday, otherwise Russia exposing itself to new "massive sanctions."
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky announced that he will go to Istanbul on Thursday to meet his Russian counterpart.
T.D.