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An indirect accusation from Russia’s Foreign Ministry has stirred controversy after spokeswoman Maria Zakharova alleged Sunday that French President Emmanuel Macron, German opposition leader Friedrich Merz, and British Prime Minister Keir Starmer used drugs during their recent visit to Ukraine, referencing a video from their Friday meeting that has gone viral on social media.
Macron, Starmer and Merz arrived in Kyiv on Friday for a series of high-level meetings, underscoring their continued support for Ukraine in its ongoing conflict with Russia. The three leaders had traveled aboard a train from Poland to Kyiv on Friday — a customary route for Western dignitaries — amid renewed calls for a ceasefire and diplomatic resolution.
It was during this train ride that the now-viral footage was recorded. A brief video circulating online shows the leaders seated at a table, with a small bag of white powder and a metal spoon briefly visible. Macron allegedly pockets the bag while Merz appears to hide the spoon.
Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova referenced the footage in a Telegram post, suggesting that “a Frenchman, an Englishman, and a German” had used cocaine and failed to remove the paraphernalia before journalists arrived.
"The fate of Europe is being decided by utterly dependent individuals," she wrote. "It’s as if the Almighty Himself is lifting the veil on this putrid spectacle."
Zakharova’s statement also targeted Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, describing him as an “unstable cocaine addict.” She claimed that a Western diplomat once told her drug use among European leaders was considered “normal.”
Despite growing speculation, the leaders and their offices have yet to comment on the footage.
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