On July 2-5, two alleged quotes of the President of Ukraine, Volodymyr Zelenskyy, regarding the protests taking place in France were disseminated on social media. Russian-language Facebook accounts (1,2) have been spreading the quote, according to which Zelenskyy asks the Europeans how they feel without Ukraine, reminding them that for many years, Ukraine offered them protection by joining the country in NATO, which Europe refused.
“For many years, Ukraine has been offering to become your defender by joining the NATO bloc. You refused. Now I am looking at the burning Marseille and I want to ask: How do you feel without Ukraine? Are you coping? Forget pride; accept our help, and peace will return to the streets of your cities.” We read in the statement distributed in the name of Zelenskyy.
Georgian-language Facebook user Nona Sharabidze has been disseminating Zelenskyy’s alleged call to hand over the weapons confiscated from protesters in France to Ukraine. Russian-language accounts of Vkontakte have also published the quote (1,2).
The quotes circulating in the name of Zelenskyy regarding the ongoing demonstrations in France are fabricated. Statements of identical or similar content cannot be found in addresses, interviews of the President of Ukraine, or any other open sources.
The quotes spread on Facebook cannot be found in open sources, including President Zelenskyy’s public addresses and interviews.
The quote, according to which Zelenskyy offers Europeans to receive help from Ukraine, was fact-checked by the Ukrainian fact-checking organization StopFake, which found that neither Zelenskyy nor the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine, the Ukrainian Embassy or the Ambassador issued such a statement.
The last face-to-face meeting between the leaders of Ukraine and France took place in May 2023, when Volodymyr Zelenskyy visited France as part of a European tour. The French president once again confirmed his support for Zelenskyy in the ongoing war and restated the continuation of humanitarian and military aid.
Demonstrations in France began on June 28 after a French police officer shot a 17-year-old boy near Paris, resulting in his death.
About the Source:
Facebook user Nona Sharabidze regularly spreads anti-Western false information and Kremlin narratives. “Myth Detector” has repeatedly debunked the disinformation spread by Sharabidze in the past (1, 2, 3).
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