A cringe video of Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunak appears to show the two leaders spreading Russian misinformation.
In a highly edited video released on Wednesday, the pair speaks to Ukraine’s Prime Minister Volodymyr Zelensky.
“Hello, Volodymyr, it’s Rishi and Justin,” Trudeau says.
Trudeau and Sunak appear to address a Tuesday incident when two Polish farmers were killed by a rocket. Poland shares a border with Ukraine.
Around the world, people began speculating the rocket was Russian. Trudeau and Sunak seem to further this narrative during their awkward phone call with Zelensky.
Sunak says Tuesday was difficult for Zelensky and his country.
“What your country had to live through yesterday was unacceptable.
“We have called it out in the session and the media this morning,” Sunak said, adding that the incident was “yet more barbarity from the Russians.”
Since the video was published, it’s been reported that the missile was likely Ukrainian and hit Poland by accident. Polish authorities are investigating the incident.
Prior to this discovery, Zelensky blamed Russia for the tragedy. Critics said his rhetoric bordered on inciting a third world war.
Rebel News reports that Zelensky said the “rocket launched from the territory of the Russian Federation” and it was “missile terror.”
Trudeau has attempted to spin his blunder by saying that even if the rocket did come from Ukraine, Russia is still to blame because Ukraine was attempting to defend itself.
Trudeau also walked back his remarks from the video in an official statement which said the call with Sunak and Zelensky “discussed the recent explosions in eastern Poland, and the need to assess the situation, including a full investigation into what happened, and work in partnership with allies to respond accordingly.”
“Regardless of the outcome of that investigation, it is clear that Putin’s invasion of Ukraine is to blame for the ongoing conflict and ensuing violence,” the statement reads.