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France blasts ‘fake news’ surrounding train photo with world leaders

Britain's Prime Minister Keir Starmer, left, meets with French President Emanuel Macron, center, and German Chancellor Friedrich Merz onboard a train to the Ukrainian capital Kyiv where all three will hold meetings with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy
Britain's Prime Minister Keir Starmer, left, meets with French President Emanuel Macron, center, and German Chancellor Friedrich Merz onboard a train to the Ukrainian capital Kyiv where all three will hold meetings with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy
  • The French government dismissed a Russian conspiracy theory alleging that European leaders, including French President Emmanuel Macron, German Chancellor Friedrich Merz, and UK Prime Minster Keir Starmer, were using cocaine on a train to Ukraine.
  • The claim, originating from a video showing Macron with a tissue and Merz with a coffee stirrer, was amplified by Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova on Telegram.
  • France publicly refuted the accusations on X (formerly Twitter), labeling it as disinformation spread by adversaries and emphasising European unity.
  • This incident reflects a broader Russian disinformation campaign targeting European leaders, often portraying them as drug users to discredit their support for Ukraine.
  • France has adopted a more proactive approach to countering such disinformation, directly addressing and debunking false narratives.
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