XMNews: Controversy Erupts Over European Leaders’ Meeting in Kyiv Amid Drug Use Speculation
A video capturing French President Emmanuel Macron, British Prime Minister Keir Starmer, and German opposition leader Friedrich Merz during their return from a diplomatic mission in Kyiv has sparked controversy and speculation on social media. The footage, which shows the leaders in a meeting room, has led to allegations that Macron was hiding a bag of white powder and Merz concealing a spoon, with some claiming these items could be related to drug use. These claims, prominently spread by figures like Alex Jones, have ignited a debate, though they have been met with skepticism and partial debunking by French media and fact-checking outlets.
The video, which surfaced online, depicts the leaders engaging in what appears to be a casual interaction around a table. Social media users, fueled by conspiracy theories, suggested that the items in question might be associated with cocaine use, linking the incident to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, who has faced similar baseless accusations in the past. A 2022 Reuters fact-check had already clarified that a video misquoting Zelensky admitting to cocaine use was digitally altered, highlighting a recurring pattern of disinformation.
French newspaper Liberation and other reliable sources have suggested that the “white powder” was likely a handkerchief, and the “spoon” could be a stirrer or toothpick, dismissing the drug use claims as part of an “absurd conspiracy.” However, the possibility that the items could be related to drugs cannot be entirely ruled out without further investigation, given the context of the meeting and the leaders’ actions in the video. This ambiguity has fueled ongoing speculation, especially amidst heightened geopolitical tensions, with Russian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Maria Zakharova referencing the footage to criticize Western leaders, aligning with a broader narrative of Western elite depravity.
