On October 12, a Russian-language Facebook page shared a video with a caption claiming that Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy did not shake hands with Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev. In the footage, Zelenskyy is seen greeting other leaders but seemingly not shaking hands with Aliyev.
The video is being circulated manipulatively, creating the impression that Zelenskyy deliberately ignored Aliyev. In reality, Zelenskyy and Aliyev met earlier that same day, just a few hours before, and greeted each other with a handshake.
The circulated footage is from the meeting of the European Political Community, held on October 2 in Copenhagen, Denmark. During the meeting, leaders discussed traditional and hybrid security, migration, economic security, and other issues around round tables. In addition to these discussions, European institutional leaders held meetings with several countries’ heads of state, including Azerbaijan, Ukraine, and Armenia. There were also bilateral meetings between leaders of different countries.
The European Political Community meeting took place throughout the day in several panels and began with the leaders’ arrivals and greetings. According to the event’s Media Guide, the entrance area was open to all media outlets, but the handshake portion was restricted to the press; corresponding photo and video materials were later made available for use.
As part of this event, Volodymyr Zelenskyy and Ilham Aliyev held a bilateral meeting, during which they discussed security and political stability on the continent. Aliyev also touched upon Azerbaijan’s humanitarian assistance to Ukraine and cooperation between the two countries in the energy sector. Photos of the meeting were shared by both countries’ official agencies (1; 2) as well as by media outlets.
The circulated video and its accompanying description create the impression that Zelenskyy deliberately avoided shaking Aliyev’s hand. In fact, as shown in other footage from the community meeting, a few hours earlier that same day, the two presidents held a bilateral meeting and greeted each other with a handshake (1; 2).
The European Political Community was established in 2022 at the initiative of French President Emmanuel Macron. The Community’s meetings are held twice a year in both EU and non-EU member states. The meeting in Copenhagen was the seventh such gathering.
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