French President Emmanuel Macron has been in an interesting position as the Russian invasion of Ukraine rages on. While most Western leaders have cut off Vladimir Putin, Macron has kept a line of communication open with the Russian President.
Since December, Macron and Putin have had 14 contacts. After one particular call in February, photos were taken of Macron and posted online.
While they didn’t make a splash the first time around, the internet was reminded of them causing a new set of memes to form.
The photos above were initially shared after a call on February 18. They were taken by French photographer Soazig de la Moissonnière.
Macron’s call with Putin took place just days before Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.
Despite the frequency of talks between the world leaders, some are less than enthused over the outcomes between Macron and Putin. Some believe there’s been little to no influence over what actions Putin is taking.
So what better way to vent your frustration than to turn melodramatic photos into new memes?
Macron’s open communication with the Russian President has many asking if it’s helping. Ukrainian Deputy Prime Minister Iryna Vereshchuk warned Macron is being “used and manipulated” by Russian forces.
It was revealed humanitarian corridors led to only Belarus or Russia, instead of other, neutral countries. Meaning if Ukrainian citizens wanted to flee the war, their only option would be Russian controlled territories.
Despite his attempts to provide peace talks and negotiate a peaceful retreat of the civilian population, Macron’s communication with Putin has been pre-empted for Russian propaganda.
Macron’s attempts to appease Putin have become little more than a joke online, but there is still support for the work.
These photos aren’t the only thing resurfacing during the Ukrainian invasion.
Recently, a scene from Zelenskyy’s old TV show depicting Ukraine being mistakenly told they would be joining the European Union was compared to the country’s renewed efforts to join.
