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“It’s a Tissue”: France Slams Russian Claims of Drug Use by Macron, Merz, and Starmer
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![Ivan_khomenko]( "Photo of Ivan Khomenko")
-21d0b63c17f6020e4df75f6c6f9a2f4f.jpg "Photo of Ivan Khomenko")
The French government has dismissed recent allegations by Russian media suggesting drug use during a joint visit to Kyiv by European leaders, describing the story as fabricated and based on a distorted image of a table napkin.
In a statement issued by the Élysée Palace on May 12, officials denounced the disinformation campaign, which falsely claimed that French President Emmanuel Macron, German Chancellor Friedrich Merz, and UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer were pictured with drug paraphernalia aboard a train en route to Kyiv.
When European unity becomes inconvenient, disinformation goes so far as to make a simple tissue look like drugs.
— Élysée (@Elysee) May 11, 2025
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
The claim originated from Russian state-affiliated media, including RT, which alleged that a video showed the leaders concealing a “white packet” and a “special spoon” as journalists entered the room.
In response, the French president’s office posted a statement and accompanying photos to clarify the situation. “When European unity becomes inconvenient, disinformation goes so far as to make a simple tissue look like drugs,” the Élysée said in a May 11 post.
A photo shared by the office showed a white napkin on the table, labeled “This is a tissue. For the nose.” Another image featured the three leaders with the caption, “This is European unity. For building peace.”
The incident was further amplified by Russian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Maria Zakharova, who repeated the narrative about a “packet and spoon” allegedly visible on the table. However, video and photographic evidence clearly shows no such items present—only a standard napkin.
The Élysée warned that the spread of such content reflects ongoing efforts by adversaries, both foreign and domestic, to undermine France and its allies. “We must remain vigilant against manipulation,” the statement read.
The disinformation was released shortly after the leaders of France, Germany, and the United Kingdom traveled to Kyiv on May 10 to participate in high-level talks on European support for Ukraine.
