France derides Russias false claim of drug use by Macron, Merz and Starmer
Guardian2 days
European Leaders Deny Having Cocaine on Train to Ukraine
Above: Britain's Prime Minister Keir Starmer (L), France's President Emmanuel Macron (C) and German Chancellor Friedrich Merz (R) pose on board a train to Kyiv, in Shegyni, Ukraine, on May 9, 2025. Image copyright: Stefan Rousseau/AFP/Contributor via Getty Images
The Spin
Pro-establishment narrative
This is a bizarre conspiracy theory that has emerged, promoted by Russian trolls and even Alex Jones. It can clearly be seen that Macron simply grabs a tissue while the object in Merz's hand is a plastic coffee stirrer.
Establishment-critical narrative
There is no doubt what this video shows. The over-animated expressions of these leaders followed by Macron hiding the tissue and Merz concealing the mini-spoon. This incident merits a full investigation.