French TV channel calls Zelensky's trip to Europe a "circus," ambassador demands apology
Ukraine’s ambassador to France, Vadym Omelchenko, has demanded an apology from French TV channel RTL, after it aired a joke calling Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy’s trip to Europe a “circus”, Omelchenko stated on Twitter on May 16.
He posted a snippet of the video, where the host of the program can be heard saying that that the day before, Zelenskyy was in the Elysee Palace "with his circus."
Later in the video, the program equated Zelenskyy’s meetings with European leaders with a circus performing to “gain support for Ukraine.”
Omelchenko called the video cynical and tactless, and commented that he didn’t believe such words were typical of the French people.
"No empathy, no responsibility,” he wrote.
“I demand an apology to my president and to Ukrainian people, who are suffering and fighting for their freedom, as well as for your freedom and for the opportunity to enjoy the easy life.”
Zelenskyy visited Italy, Germany, France and the United Kingdom on May 13-15. He arrived in Paris on May 14 and met with French president Emmanuel Macron, after which France promised to supply Ukraine with dozens of armored vehicles and light tanks. Macron also announced that France would be donating missiles of "sufficient range" to deal with Russian invaders during the upcoming Ukrainian counter-offensive.
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