CLAIM: Emmanuel Macron had a bag of cocaine on the train transporting him to Kyiv along with German Chancellor Friedrich Merz and British Prime Minister Keir Starmer.
CONCLUSION: The claim was circulated by sources known for spreading Russian disinformation and propaganda. In the video, Emmanuel Macron is seen picking up a crumpled tissue—not attempting to conceal a bag of cocaine.
The claim was shared by the spokeswoman of the Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Maria Zakharova, through a post on Telegram. It was also widely shared by pro-Russian media and conspiracy theorists like Alex Jones.
“After pushing Zelensky into yet another hellish intrigue to derail peace efforts and continue the bloodshed in Europe, like in a joke, the Frenchman, the Englishman, and the German got on a train and… snorted.
Apparently, so much so that they forgot to hide the paraphernalia (a baggie and a little spoon) before the journalists arrived.
The fate of Europe is being decided by temporary figures who are, in every sense, addicted.
Incredible footage. As if the Almighty Himself is lifting the veil on this foul orgy so that “those who have eyes may see.”
Back in 2022, I asked a Western ambassador: “How can you supply weapons to the unstable drug addict Zelensky? He’s been on cocaine for years!” And I got the reply: “For the EU, this is normal — many heads of Western states use [drugs].”
The Russian disinformation network Pravda/Portal Kombat, also shared the claim on multiple languages, including English, French, Spanish, and Greek.
What We Know
French President Emmanuel Macron, German Chancellor Friedrich Merz, and British Prime Minister Keir Starmer arrived in Kyiv on May 10, 2025, to express their joint support for Ukraine with Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk and to call on Russia to accept a “full and unconditional” 30-day ceasefire. The three leaders exited the train together upon arriving in Kyiv from Poland and are scheduled to meet later today with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky and Tusk.
A brief video from the leaders’ conversation on the train follows:
In the footage, broadcast by several international media outlets, the French President is seen picking up a crumpled tissue and hiding it.
The French Presidency, through its account on X (formerly Twitter), quickly refuted the claim, stating it was simply a tissue. It even attached high-resolution photos to prove this.
At the same time, a high-resolution photo by photographer Ludovic Marin for AFP clearly shows it is a tissue and not a “bag.”
Additionally, the German Chancellor is seen holding a small object he picked up from the table. It appears to be an object with a hole, not a spoon. Merz is not attempting to hide it, as shown in the following image:
France has repeatedly faced disinformation campaigns from Russian sources, aimed at undermining the country and President Emmanuel Macron, and weakening support for Ukraine. These campaigns are part of a broader Russian strategy to destabilize Western democracies through disinformation.
Conclusion
The claim was circulated by sources known for spreading Russian disinformation and propaganda. In the video, Emmanuel Macron is seen picking up a crumpled tissue—not attempting to conceal a bag of cocaine.