An awkward-looking exchange between French President Emmanuel Macron and Ukrainian counterpart Volodymyr Zelensky that was captured on camera in Kyiv drew commentary and mockery online on Friday, with some seeing deep meaning behind the body language.
The image, taken by AFP photographer Ludovic Marin, appeared on newspaper frontpages and quickly became a meme on social media in Ukraine and beyond.
It was taken at the end of a joint news conference on Thursday where Zelensky appeared alongside Macron, German Chancellor Olaf Scholz, Italian Premier Mario Draghi and Romanian President Klaus Iohannis.
Although it appears as if Macron is hugging a frosty Zelensky, who is not recipricating, Marin said the notoriously tactile French leader was instead saying something into his Ukrainian counterpart’s ear.
“Why is Zelensky looking at us? I don’t know,” said Marin, who has been AFP’s chief photographer covering Macron for five years. “It’s true that there’s a difference…
Source: Guardian Newspaper
