Headline Roundup • May 13th, 2025
Fact Check: Did Macron and Other European Leaders Have Cocaine on a Train to Kyiv?
Facts And Fact Checking,Europe,France,Ukraine,Emmanuel Macron,Keir Starmer,Friedrich Merz,Drugs,Misinformation
Summary from the AllSides News Team
A video published by the French media agency AFP showed Prime Minister Emmanuel Macron grab and hide what some said resembled a bag of cocaine in a meeting with other European leaders; however, photos and official statements suggest the object was a tissue.
The Details: In the video, Macron, German Chancellor Friedrich Merz, and British Prime Minister Keir Starmer were traveling to Kyiv, Ukraine, via train. When the leaders greeted each other, Macron sat down and removed a white object from the table, crumpling it into his hand. Though the low resolution of the video made it uncertain what the item was, photos from The Associated Press and Getty Images seem to depict a tissue.
Viral Spread: The video and manipulated frames of it spread virally online, fueled by notable voices such as Alex Jones and Kremlin Spokeswoman Maria Zakharova.
Key Quote: France hit back at the claim, saying the object was a tissue and writing, “This fake news is being spread by France’s enemies, both abroad and at home. We must remain vigilant against manipulation.”
How The Media Covered It: Left- and center-rated sources often suggested the accusation was false and characterized it as Russian misinformation or “fake news.” Snopes (Lean Left bias) verified that the video is real but “miscaptioned” as the object was a tissue. The New York Post (Lean Right) reported that an object on the table some were claiming was a cocaine spoon was actually a plastic coffee stirrer. Other outlets on the right reported the cocaine claims and officials' denials without strongly suggesting either side was correct.
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Featured Coverage of this Story
Kay Nietfeld/Getty Images
Video shows French President Emmanuel Macron removing a bag of cocaine from a table as journalists entered the train cabin where he was meeting with German Chancellor Friedrich Merz and British Prime Minister Keir Starmer.
Enlarged photographs and video footage show the white object Macron removed from the table and stuffed in his pocket was a tissue. This was also confirmed by the French government.
Viral social media posts are alleging that French President Emmanuel Macron, German Chancellor Friedrich Merz and British Prime Minister Keir Starmer were caught taking cocaine on their trip to Kyiv.
At the centre of the claims is a video showing the three leaders greeting one another on a train from Poland to Ukraine, ahead of a meeting with President Volodymyr Zelenskyy to reaffirm their support for his country.
It’s a tissue of lies.
A bizarre conspiracy that European leaders snorted cocaine en route to critical Ukraine talks has been roundly ridiculed by the French president’s office, after it was promoted by Russian trolls as well as American conspiracists such as Alex Jones.
“This fake news is being spread by France’s enemies, both abroad and at home. We must remain vigilant against manipulation,” the Elysee Palace posted on X.
