Was British Prime Minister Boris Johnson snubbed by the world leaders ahead of the NATO group photo? The UK media thinks so.
NATO, G7 and European leaders have gathered in Brussels for a crucial meeting about Russia’s war in Ukraine.
But what stood out at the photo op was that Johnson appeared to be standing alone awkwardly as the European Union (EU) leaders shook hands with each other.
A clip shared by Mirror appeared to show French President Emmanuel Macron cheerfully chatting with US leader Joe Biden, while Johnson is left all alone.
Soon, netizens jumped into it the whole supposed fiasco, branding the UK PM as an “embarrassment” while others quipped that the video shows what world leaders think of “global Britain.”
One user said it looked like ‘an undress rehearsal for The Emperor’s New Clothes’.
The video garnered so much attention as Johnson and Macron have previously failed to see eye to eye on the world stage.
In September last year, Johnson reportedly told Macron to “get a grip” over cancellation of a defence deal due to a pact between the UK, US and Australia.
Then in December, Macron, according to a report in The Guardian, privately called Johnson a “clown”.
But a few hours later, the full video of the NATO gathering was posted by Forbes and other publications, which showed the UK prime minister engaging in a conversation with other EU leaders and greeting US President Joe Biden. He even shook hands with the French prime minister.
“Show the whole video and then we’ll see who’s having an awkward moment,” a Twitter user said, posting the full clip.
Earlier, Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelensky addressed NATO members on Thursday and claimed that Russia has used phosphorus bombs in an attack.
