Russian propagandists have circulated a manipulated video from the recent visit of Carl XVI Gustaf to Ukraine, falsely claiming he refused to shake hands with Volodymyr Zelensky
On April 17, the Swedish monarch arrived in Lviv on an official visit – his first since the start of Russia’s full-scale invasion. Shortly afterward, Russian state media and Telegram channels began spreading claims that the King had deliberately snubbed Ukraine’s President. As “evidence,” they shared a clip of the two leaders meeting on a red carpet, which does not show the moment of a handshake.
This claim is false. The video was deliberately trimmed to omit the handshake. Full footage of the visit available on YouTube clearly shows Carl XVI Gustaf and Volodymyr Zelensky greeting each other with a handshake.
Photographs capturing the handshake have also been published on the website of the Ukrainian President’s Office and on the official social media accounts of the Swedish Royal Court.
The purpose of this disinformation is to discredit Volodymyr Zelensky by creating the impression of his international isolation and suggesting supposed negative attitudes from world leaders toward Ukraine’s leadership.
During his visit to Ukraine on April 17-18, 2026, Carl XVI Gustaf provided humanitarian assistance, visited the Superhumans Center – a modern war trauma facility in Lviv – and honored Ukrainian defenders who were killed in the war against Russia.
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