The French presidency condemned the spread of "fake news" by "France's enemies" after social media accounts falsely claimed that European leaders, including President Emmanuel Macron, were seen taking drugs on a train. The accusation, propagated by figures like Alex Jones and Russian officials, centered on footage of Macron, British Prime Minister Keir Starmer, and German Chancellor Friedrich Merz on their way to Kyiv for talks with Ukrainian leader Volodymyr Zelensky. Claims were made that a white tissue removed by Macron contained cocaine. The Elysée countered these claims, stating the tissue was for blowing one's nose and accusing France's enemies of spreading disinformation to undermine European unity. Foreign Minister Jean-Noel Barrot accused Russia of spreading hoaxes to prevent peace in Ukraine, noting the disinformation's spread by Maria Zakharova and Kirill Dmitriev. Ukraine's Centre for Countering Disinformation accused Russia of seeking to discredit European initiatives to end the conflict in Ukraine. France has accused Russia of using disinformation as a weapon to influence public opinion and weaken support for Ukraine, with Viginum tracking nearly 80 disinformation campaigns led by Russian operators between August 2023 and early March 2025.

Separately, Poland's top diplomat announced the closure of a Russian consulate in Krakow due to suspected sabotage, after accusing Russia of orchestrating a fire that destroyed a Warsaw shopping centre last year. Russia vowed an "adequate response" to the closure. Poland, a key ally of Ukraine, has claimed to be the target of sabotage attempts blamed on Russia since Russia's invasion of Ukraine in February 2022. Polish Foreign Minister Radoslaw Sikorski stated the closure was due to evidence linking Russian secret services to the Marywilska shopping centre fire. Poland had already closed Russia's consulate in Poznan after a previous act of sabotage. Russia still maintains a consulate in Gdansk and an embassy in Warsaw. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov dismissed the accusations as "baseless".

Prime Minister Donald Tusk accused Russia of ordering arson at the Marywilska shopping centre in Warsaw in May 2024, leading to an investigation and the identification of alleged perpetrators, some of whom are in custody. National prosecutors charged two Ukrainian men with participating in an organised criminal group and carrying out sabotage on behalf of Russia, including setting fire to an IKEA store in Vilnius. In May 2024, Poland imposed restrictions on Russian diplomats' movements due to Moscow's involvement in a "hybrid war". Russia closed the Polish consulate in Saint Petersburg in January in retaliation for these measures.