- The French government dismissed a Russian conspiracy theory alleging that European leaders, including French President Emmanuel Macron, German Chancellor Friedrich Merz, and UK Prime Minster Keir Starmer, were using cocaine on a train to Ukraine.
- The claim, originating from a video showing Macron with a tissue and Merz with a coffee stirrer, was amplified by Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova on Telegram.
- France publicly refuted the accusations on X (formerly Twitter), labeling it as disinformation spread by adversaries and emphasising European unity.
- This incident reflects a broader Russian disinformation campaign targeting European leaders, often portraying them as drug users to discredit their support for Ukraine.
- France has adopted a more proactive approach to countering such disinformation, directly addressing and debunking false narratives.
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