At the meeting with Volodymyr Zelenskyj and Emmanuel Macron in Paris, Chancellor Olaf Scholz mixed up the lectern.
A video shows the accident.
Munich/Paris – The faux pas, borrowed from the French faux pas (wrong step), means something like a misstep or a lapse in German.
Chancellor Olaf Scholz (SPD) made such a mishap when he met Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and the host French President Emmanuel Macron in Paris.
On Wednesday evening (February 8) it was about new requests from Kiev in the Ukraine war for the defense against the aggressor Russia.
Meeting in Paris: Scholz has a mishap next to Selenskyj and Macron
When the head of government from Germany and the two heads of state of Ukraine and France answered questions from the press after their deliberations, Scholz made the mistake.
Specifically: the chancellor initially placed himself in front of the wrong lectern in the Élysée Palace, Macron's official residence.
In the video: Selenskyj is urging Macron and Scholz to deliver fighter jets
Because: The flag of Ukraine hung behind the 64-year-old SPD politician.
Both Zelenskyj and Macron noticed the faux pas immediately, which videos show, while Scholz apparently needed a moment to collect himself.
Selenskyj stayed - obviously smiling - at first behind the German flag.
Olaf Scholz's faux pas: Volodymyr Zelenskyj smiles, Emmanuel Macron reacts
Macron, meanwhile, standing in the middle of the trio, indicated that they could please switch places.
Which finally led all three politicians to smile in these difficult times.
Because: Zelenskyj's requests, or demands, depending on the interpretation, were appropriately serious and urgent given the events of the war.
Zelensky and Scholz switched places before a joint statement at the Elysee Palace🤣🤣🤣 pic.twitter.com/T3AbTqWUb8
— Natalia Gabriella Dominica (@Natalia96058112) February 9, 2023
Most recently, Germany had announced that it would deliver Leopard 1 main battle tanks to Ukraine in a coalition with the Netherlands and Denmark - at least 100 in the coming months.
The federal government had granted German industry permission to deliver a total of up to 178 copies.
On Wednesday, Selenskyj had already traveled to London before his visit to Paris.
Britain promised the 45-year-old that it would train Ukrainian pilots on modern western fighter jets.
The British government has not fundamentally ruled out the delivery of such combat aircraft.
Volodymyr Zelenskyy: Ukraine asks France and Germany for fighter jets
In his conversation with Macron and Scholz, Selenskyj also mentioned the fighter jets, after Germany also wants to provide up to 90 modern Leopard 2 tanks with Poland and other NATO coalition partners for the Ukrainian army.
Zelenskyj said on Wednesday evening in the Elysée Palace that Germany and France could be "game changers" in the war: "France and Germany can turn the tide.
(...) The sooner we have long-range weapons and modern aircraft, the sooner Russia's aggression will end."
(pm)
