Donald Tusk is visiting Kyiv today alongside French President Emmanuel Macron, German Chancellor Friedrich Merz, and UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer. The four leaders met with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky. However, what captured the attention of internet users was the way Tusk — often dubbed the “King of Europe” — was reportedly treated by his Western counterparts.
Following joint talks, Tusk, Macron, Merz, Starmer, and Zelensky issued a statement calling on Russia to implement an “unconditional ceasefire starting Monday for 30 days and to begin peace negotiations.”
The leaders also held a phone call with former U.S. President Donald Trump. Tusk later publicly highlighted his participation in this call.
“What an embarrassment!”
Despite Tusk’s optimistic portrayal of the visit, social media has been flooded with photos and videos that suggest a very different reality. For instance, German media reportedly omitted Tusk entirely from photos accompanying articles about the summit of world leaders — as noted by journalist Cezary Gmyz on X.
Adding to the controversy, the Polish Prime Minister appeared to have traveled to Kyiv separately. As footage circulating online shows, Tusk disembarked from a different train car than the rest of the delegation — fueling speculation about his marginal role in the high-profile visit.