I checked all the sides of the footage as I do fact-checking at www.watchman.news.
Some have said “that’s AI edited”. It’s not and people are talking about it everywhere.
As it’s still very early, I remain open and would issue any retraction etc. Please send along any conflicting information.
One such entitled: Video Does Not Show Sweden’s King Avoiding Handshake With Volodymyr Zelenskyy actually shows still the first moments where normal Etiquite was assumed, and Zelensky rejected it https://www.misbar.com/en/factcheck/2026/04/19/video-does-not-show-sweden%E2%80%99s-king-avoiding-handshake-volodymyr-zelenskyy
All video accounts (including the full clip shown as a rebuttal against the disinformation below) show he did indeed “assault”(in most state codes) the King by spitting on his shoe (a felony of violence in America, could be 5 years in Prison if it was an American). He then apparently pleaded with the King to “shake” (I would say a bit harsher than plead, but he weaved on that).
It’s too bad that normal protocol with a Monarch cannot be respected. It’s widely posted and informed everywhere that you never extend your hand first with the Monarch of Sweden. You wait till he extends gracefully in due course.
Virtually none of the accounts are AI edited in any way. The ones people dislike are only stopped about 10 seconds early before the eventual handshake, the spitting was real. Nevertheless, it was a break from protocol and elegance normally respected and lead by Kings.
100% of all footage agrees from all confirmed sources, there’s no alternative version other than either short or long.
The handshake did indeed happen.
However Zelenskyy did indeed spit on the King of Sweden’s shoe, a Nato Ally.
In most countries that’s charged in court as actual physical assault that has a penalty.
He then ordered the King of Sweden to “shake” and probably since military was there it was perceived as a threat of further violence, the King conceded under duress.
Here’s the longer official video that even Ukraine has posted as their rebuttal:
One such entitled: Video Does Not Show Sweden’s King Avoiding Handshake With Volodymyr Zelenskyy https://www.misbar.com/en/factcheck/2026/04/19/video-does-not-show-sweden%E2%80%99s-king-avoiding-handshake-volodymyr-zelenskyy
Don’t let 100% of the news commentators tell you “he spat at his foot”. Watch the full clip and make up your own mind.
