French President Macron faces awkward greeting with Iceland PM in Dublin
An interaction between Emmanuel Macron and Kristrún Frostadóttir at a European leaders' meeting has drawn significant social media attention.
French President Emmanuel Macron appeared to have an awkward encounter with Icelandic Prime Minister Kristrún Frostadóttir during a meeting in Dublin on Friday, according to reports by The Times of India and Moneycontrol.
The incident occurred during a round-table meeting of European leaders at the European Political Community gathering. A photograph from the event shows Macron leaning in to embrace Frostadóttir with one hand on her back, while the Icelandic Prime Minister appeared to step back and lean away, keeping one hand on his shoulder.
While Macron appeared to be smiling during the exchange, Frostadóttir seemed less at ease and glanced towards a nearby photographer. The image has since circulated widely on social media platforms.
This is not the first time Macron's interactions with female leaders have attracted online attention. Previous exchanges with Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni have also been subjects of social media discussion.
Past instances include a video from last year's G7 Summit in Canada where Macron whispered to Meloni, and a cheek-to-cheek greeting at the Elysee Palace in Paris earlier this year.