TikTok has restricted search queries related to the scandalous video featuring Macron and Mertz from their trip to Kyiv.

TikTok has limited search queries related to a scandalous video that went viral, featuring French President Emmanuel Macron and German Chancellor Friedrich Merz from their recent train trip to Kyiv. The scene at the table involving the leaders of Great Britain, France, and Germany was twisted by Russian propaganda in a context understandable to them and accused the politicians of using drugs. This is reported by Bloomberg, writes UNN.

Details

Russian officials contributed to the spread of the false claim that the leaders of Great Britain, France, and Germany used illegal narcotics during their recent train trip to Kyiv. The video, based on which the Kremlin created another fake that quickly went viral on social networks, is further proof that even the most bizarre disinformation can become viral against common sense, the publication writes.

The basis of this story was a real video with British Prime Minister Keir Starmer, French President Emmanuel Macron, and German Chancellor Friedrich Merz on a train heading to Ukraine. As the politicians greeted each other, Macron took a napkin from the table and hid it in his pocket, and Merz picked up something that looked like a coffee stirrer. 

"This is a tissue. For blowing your nose": Macron's team reacts with humor to Russian fake news about drugs during his trip to Kyiv 12.05.25, 06:06 • 7497 views

Conspiracy theorists claimed that the napkin was actually a bag of cocaine, and the stirrer was a spoon for tobacco. Some of their posts garnered over a million views on platforms such as X, TikTok, and YouTube. This created such momentum that the governments of France and Great Britain issued rebuttals.

TikTok stated that it has taken measures against the speculative spread of the video on the specified topic and limited the search related to the event. YouTube and X did not respond to the publication's requests for comments.

Addition

Pro-Kremlin disinformation has long been spreading fake stories that world leaders are using drugs, often using edited videos and doctored photos. At the same time, it does not comment on real scandals about drug use involving the first persons of Russia.

Reminder

On May 10, in Kyiv, French President Emmanuel Macron, German Chancellor Friedrich Merz, British Prime Minister Keir Starmer, and Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk met with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy. Later, the leaders announced their readiness for a complete ceasefire by Ukraine for at least 30 days and issued a corresponding appeal to Russian dictator Vladimir Putin.