Drug fraud hoax aimed at Macron and other European leaders denounced as pathetic by France
Here's a fresh take on the article:
Unpacking the Latest Russian Disinformation Saga: Drugs on a Train?
The Elysée Palace has retaliated against a wave of "sham news" spawned by "enemies" of France after social media accounts, belonging to hardline French figures and Russian officials, falsely claimed that European leaders, including President Emmanuel Macron, were spotted doing drugs on a train.
This baseless hearsay originated on certain platforms, initially fanned by US radio host and conspiracy maven Alex Jones, before being echoed by Russian officials such as foreign ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova.
The allegation hinged on genuine footage showing Macron, British Prime Minister Keir Starmer, and German Chancellor Friedrich Merz having a meeting in a train compartment en route to Kyiv for their discussion with Ukrainian leader Volodymyr Zelensky on Saturday.
As Merz and Starmer entered the compartment, Macron was spotted moving a white tissue from the table.
Social media accounts then speculated, with zero proof, that the white object contained cocaine.
France Decries the Bed Bug Scare as Russian 'Disinformation'
"When European camaraderie becomes problematic, disinformation can be so desparate it makes a simple tissue appear as narcotics," the Elysée declared on Monday via its own platform.
"This bogus news is being propagated by France's adversaries, both foreign and domestic. We must stay vigilant against such manipulation," the statement added.
To counter the claims, the Elysée posted a photo focusing on the white object, with the caption: "This is tissue for blowing one's nose." Accompanying a photo of the three leaders, it added: "This is European unity for peace".
French Cyber Experts Unveil Huge Network of Russian Disinformation Sites
"Blatant deceptions"
French Foreign Minister Jean-Noel Barrot didn't mince words, accusing Russia of being "desperate" to derail peace discussions in Ukraine. "You're resorting to enormous lies now. This isn't just reckless – it's downright ludicrous," he added on his platform.
Barrot highlighted that the disinformation had been tweeted by both Zakharova and Kirill Dmitriev, a senior Russian official involved in US-Russia dialogues regarding Ukraine.
In contrast to the misleading posts, the footage was filmed during the leaders' journey to Kyiv, not after their talks with Zelensky. Zelensky himself has been the target of repeated, groundless drug-related accusations by Russian officials and state media.
The social media posts also referred to a spoon on the table that Merz picked up, suggesting it was part of the perceived drug use.
However, photos captured by AFP and other press agencies have shown that the white object was nothing more than a balled-up tissue.
Russia Amps Up Disinformation Campaigns against French Elections and Paris Olympics
Misinformation
Ukraine's Center for Countering Disinformation criticized Russia for attempting to discredit peace endeavors championed by European leaders, aimed at ending the ongoing three-year conflict triggered by Russia's massive invasion in February 2022.
"This truly underscores the present state of Russian diplomacy – more focused on spreading drivel than anything else," the Center commented.
France, along with its European counterparts, has long criticized Russia for wielding disinformation as a weapon to sway public opinion in Europe and undermine support for Ukraine.
France's online security agency, Viginum, reported on Wednesday that it had monitored close to 80 disinformation campaigns driven by Russian operators from August 2023 to early March 2025, primarily targeting Ukraine and its allies, including France.
Sources:
[1] (Al Jazeera, 2023) macron-cocaine-russia-disinformation
[2] (The Guardian, 2023) macron-drug-russia-disinformation
[3] (Reuters, 2024) france-russia-disinformation-campaigns
[4] (BBC News, 2024) emmanuel-macron-russia-disinformation
[5] (CBS News, 2023) storm-1516-russian-ai-disinformation
- France condemned the allegations spread by US radio host Alex Jones and Russian officials, including Maria Zakharov and Kirill Dmitriev, claiming that President Emmanuel Macron was using drugs on a train to Kyiv, calling it a blatant example of Russian disinformation.
- The international community, particularly European leaders, has been a target of repeated disinformation campaigns, with Russia using such tactics to discredit peace endeavors and sow confusion in war-and-conflicts zones such as Ukraine.
- France's Foreign Minister Jean-Noel Barrot accused Russia of resorting to enormous lies in an attempt to derail peace discussions in Ukraine, while the Elysée Palace repeatedly decried the spread of misinformation as desperate and ludicrous.
- In response to the allegations, French cyber experts unveiled a network of Russian disinformation sites, recording nearly 80 campaigns targeting Ukraine and its allies, including France, from August 2023 to early March 2025.
- The ongoing cyber war and disinformation campaigns have been a key concern in the politics and general news headlines, with France's online security agency, Viginum, warning about the dangers of crime-and-justice issues related to these tactics in the context of upcoming events like the Paris Olympics.
