Since Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, UN Secretary-General António Guterres and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky have met several times, including at the UN General Assembly. Meanwhile, a viral claim suggested Zelensky refused to shake hands with Guterres, However, we have found the above claim is misleading.
Social Media Claim
A photo shared on Facebook appears to show Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky ignoring UN Secretary-General António Guterres as he extends his hand. The post is accompanied by a caption suggesting Zelenskyy refused to shake hands.
This post, which has gained attention online, was originally shared by a Facebook user who stated, “Well…it’s not about who is right or wrong …it’s about two crazy people who both should be put in prison!”.
The same photo, along with the identical claim, has also been observed and shared by another X user. This repetition highlights the viral nature of the image and its ability to spread across different platforms.
For more information and specifics regarding this post, you can find the details below.
The same photo and claim mentioned above have also been found circulating on the social media platform Threads. The post alleges that Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky refused to shake hands with UN Secretary-General António Guterres during their meeting at the UN General Assembly.
This image, paired with the misleading claim, quickly spread across various discussions on the platform, further fueling confusion about the nature of the interaction between the two leaders.
Given the claim’s extensive dissemination and the considerable attention, it has received from the internet community, we believed it was necessary to perform a fact-check on the above subject.
Fact Check
Fact Crescendo monitors and verifies these photos through the Google Reverse Image Search process, which leads us to find the truth as follows:
A reverse image search of the viral picture led us to an article on the official website of the President of Ukraine, published on September 20, 2023. The article confirmed that President Zelensky met with UN Secretary-General António Guterres during the 78th UN General Assembly.
The photo in the article clearly shows the two leaders shaking hands, directly refuting the viral claim.
President of Ukraine Link | Archived Link
With this, we also found a video of Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky’s meeting with UN Secretary-General António Guterres, which further clarified the situation. The video, filmed from a different angle, was shared on September 20, 2023, by Zelensky himself on his official X (formerly Twitter) account.
In this clip, at the 18-second mark, the moment captured in the viral image purportedly showing a lack of handshake appears. However, the video continues, and in the very next moment, both leaders are seen shaking hands, debunking the viral claim.
The full context of the video demonstrates that the two leaders engaged in a cordial exchange, with the handshake occurring immediately after the moment captured in the viral image.
Fact Crescendo also found an article published by the Associated Press on September 21, 2023, highlighting similarities between the viral image and official photos, particularly in the backgrounds and clothing of both leaders, which show Zelensky shaking hands with António Guterres.
For more information and specifics regarding this news, you can find the details below.
AP News Report | Archived Link
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Conclusion
Fact Crescendo found that the above claim attached with the photo posted on social media is misleading. In fact, a closer look at the full video and official photos from the meeting, including those published on the President of Ukraine’s official website, clearly show the two leaders engaging in a cordial handshake.
Title:Ukraine’s Zelensky did shake hands with the UN Secretary-General
Written By: Fact Crescendo TeamResult: Misleading
