A viral video accusing French President Emmanuel Macron of hiding a cocaine pouch during a visit to Ukraine was “fake news being spread by France’s enemies”, said the Élysée in a strong response.
Over the weekend, a video appeared on social media showing President Macron, UK PM Keir Starmer, and German Chancellor Friedrich Merz meeting on board a train to Kyiv.
After greeting each other in front of a group of journalists, the leaders sat down at a table for a photo opportunity.
On sitting, Merz took a Bamboo Twisted Cocktail Skewer in his hands, while Macron, somewhat awkwardly, picked up a crumpled napkin or paper handkerchief. In high-quality images, this was quite clear.
However, this was not what the internet made out of it.
Pro-Russian accounts shared the video, accusing the European leaders of using “nose candy”.
Quite soon, conspiracy accounts along with others claimed the European leaders were “caught” on video with their stash of cocaine.
🇫🇷🇬🇧🇩🇪 BUSTED: The coalition of the willing was doing a Zelensky party, that’s why they’re in such a great mood?
A bit much nose candy? pic.twitter.com/A40NpGkLld
— Lord Bebo (@MyLordBebo) May 11, 2025
Videos of the meeting, in different angles and of varying quality, appeared online, with many internet users accusing Macron of hiding cocaine.
Some used AI to mockingly go even further in these claims.
The claims drew sufficient traction that on May 11, the official account of France’s presidency posted on X “When European unity becomes inconvenient, disinformation goes so far as to make a simple tissue look like drugs. This fake news is being spread by France’s enemies, both abroad and at home. We must remain vigilant against manipulation.”
When European unity becomes inconvenient, disinformation goes so far as to make a simple tissue look like drugs.
This fake news is being spread by France’s enemies, both abroad and at home. We must remain vigilant against manipulation. pic.twitter.com/xyXhGm9Dsr
— Élysée (@Elysee) May 11, 2025
The incident has taken place against a backdrop of mounting fears in France and across Europe over the growing threat of foreign-led disinformation campaigns—particularly ones linked to Russia and pro-Kremlin networks.
Those efforts have aimed to destabilise Western democracies, undermine public trust in institutions, and sow division within the European Union.
“State and non-state actors are disseminating false narratives to destabilise democratic societies,” warned a recent report from the European Union’s External Action Service (EEAS). France was repeatedly singled out as a key target, it said.
At Macron’s meeting with his colleagues on the train, the leaders agreed an unconditional ceasefire by definition cannot be subject to any conditions.
“If Russia is asking for such conditions, it can only be seen as an attempt to prolong the war and undermine diplomacy,” they said afterwards.
They agreed if Russia refused a full and unconditional ceasefire, Europe should adopt tougher sanctions against the banking and energy sectors, targeting fossil fuels, oil and the ghost fleet.
They also expressed their readiness to further strengthen Ukraine’s defence, and in particular the Ukrainian army.
