France blasts Russian ‘fake news’ after Macron is accused of ‘hiding cocaine’ in photo op with Starmer – as truth behind it is revealed

France has blasted a fake claim that President Emmanuel Macron hid a bag of cocaine while posing for a photograph with Keir Starmer and Germany’s Friedrich Merz over the weekend. 

The trio met on Friday aboard a train travelling from Poland to Ukraine to visit President Volodymyr Zelensky and to pressure Russia into agreeing to a ceasefire. 

But the European leaders have been at the centre of fake internet accusations after pro-Russia social media accounts claimed that Macron had hidden a bag of white powder while posing for a photo with his counterparts. 

Footage shows the French leader smiling at a camera before he subtly grabs a white item off the table and discretely conceals it under his arm. 

Pro-Russian keyboard warriors were quick to fuel wild conspiracy theories claiming that Macron had stashed away a bag of cocaine. 

‘Macron, Starmer and Merz caught on video on their return from Kiev. A bag of white powder on the table. Macron quickly pockets it, Merz hides the spoon. No explanation given,’ one X account posted. 

The French government quickly blasted the false claim, clarifying that the item on the table was a tissue. 

‘When European unity becomes inconvenient, disinformation goes so far as to make a simple tissue look like drugs,’ the Elysee said in an X post on Sunday night. 

‘This fake news is being spread by France’s enemies, both abroad and at home. We must remain vigilant against manipulation.’

The French presidency’s official X account added an image of Macron, Starmer and Merz shaking hands inside the carriage, captioning the image: ‘This is European Unity.’ 

Far-right propagandists were reportedly behind the false allegations involving France’s president. 

It comes after the European powers threw their weight behind an unconditional 30-day ceasefire and threatened Russian leader Vladimir Putin with ‘massive new sanctions’ if he did not accept. 

The leaders of Britain, France, Germany, Poland and Ukraine set the start of the ceasefire for May 12 at a meeting in Kyiv, during which they held a phone call with US President Donald Trump. 

‘So all of us here together with the U.S. are calling Putin out. If he is serious about peace, then he has a chance to show it,’ British Prime Minister Keir Starmer told a press conference.

‘No more ifs and buts, no more conditions and delays.’

Soon after the European leaders’ announcement, the Kremlin appeared to pour scorn on it.

‘We hear many contradictory statements from Europe. They are generally confrontational in nature rather than aimed at trying to revive our relations. Nothing more,’ Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov was quoted as saying by Russian news agency Interfax.

Peskov was later quoted by the state TASS news agency as saying that Russia would consider the ceasefire proposal, while Moscow has its own position.

Western sanctions against Russia have been toughened repeatedly since its full-scale invasion in 2022, without ending the war. 

But following through on the threat would be a sign of growing Western unity after months of unpredictability in US policy since Trump’s return to the White House in January.

After engaging directly with Russian officials, clashing publicly with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy and briefly cutting vital military aid to Kyiv, Washington has patched up ties with Ukraine and signed an agreement giving the US preferential access to new Ukrainian minerals deals.

Trump, who did not immediately comment publicly on the European leaders’ remarks, has also signalled frustration with what Washington views as Putin’s foot-dragging over a ceasefire.

‘In the event that the ceasefire is violated, massive sanctions will be prepared, in coordination between the Europeans and the United States,’ Macron said.