On May 11, a video showing a meeting between the leaders of France, the United Kingdom, and Germany on a train was widely circulated on Facebook, X, and other social media platforms. Pro-government media outlet POSTV, citing American conspiracy theorist Alex Jones, claimed that there was a packet of white powder and a spoon on the table and that Macron hid the packet after journalists entered the room. The video was also shared by several Georgian-language Facebook accounts, which alleged that a packet of cocaine was on the table.
Other pro-government media outlets, such as Info 9 and Newshub, shared the video with the caption “What did Macron hide?”
Maria Zakharova, spokesperson for Russia’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, also commented on the packet of drugs and spoon, posting about it on her Telegram channel.
Notably, after the video went viral, pro-government expert Soso Manjavidze also responded, writing that European leaders were sniffing cocaine. His comment was reported by Mkhare, Reportiori, Marshalpress, and other government-aligned media outlets.
Disinformation is being spread about European leaders, accompanied by video manipulation, falsely suggesting that Macron is hiding a packet of cocaine from the table. In reality, the video shows a paper napkin, which is clearly visible in better-quality footage. Spreading fake stories about the drug addiction of the Ukrainian president and other Western politicians is a tactic frequently used by the Kremlin to discredit them.
On May 10, the leaders of the United Kingdom, France, Germany, and Poland traveled to Kyiv to show solidarity, where they met with President Zelenskyy to discuss a potential ceasefire agreement between Ukraine and Russia.
In the video that went viral with misleading descriptions, we see French President Emmanuel Macron meeting with UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer and German Chancellor Friedrich Merz on the train. Macron is seen picking up a paper napkin from the table, not a packet of cocaine, as is clearly seen in high-resolution photo and video materials.
It is important to note that the footage was captured by multiple media outlets. Another false claim circulated, alleging that Merz had a cocaine spoon on the table, but it was actually a stick, possibly used for stirring liquid or cleaning teeth.
France also responded to the spreading disinformation. “When European unity becomes inconvenient, disinformation goes so far as to make a simple tissue look like drugs,” reads a post from the official X account of the Élysée Palace.
Myth Detector has previously fact-checked numerous photo and video fabrications that falsely accuse pro-Ukraine European politicians, most often Ukraine’s president, of drug use in attempts to discredit them. In most cases, the disinformation can be traced back to Kremlin sources:
- Did American actor Dean Norris call on Zelenskyy to go to a rehabilitation center?
- OPEN: The billboard showing Zelenskyy snorting paper banknotes was not displayed in Milan.
- Zelenskyy or Protest Against Drug Trade – What Does the Sculpture in Milan Portray?
- Shadows, Phone Charger or Cocaine? – What do We Find on Zelenskyy’s Table?
- Cocaine and a Credit Card were Manually Added to the Altered Video of Zelenskyy and Elon Musk
- Coffee, Drugs or Sport – What did Zelenskyy Talk about?
Archive links: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8
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