AI-generated imagery and videos featuring global leaders have transformed the recent efforts for peace in Ukraine into a source of memes, including a fabricated clip of former U.S. President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin dancing with a polar bear, alongside a falsified image of European leaders looking dejected outside the Oval Office.
These online creations, referred to as “AI slop,” demonstrate how swiftly artificial intelligence tools can inundate social media with misleading or satirical content concerning significant global events. They also highlight the challenges of moderating such material, especially as platforms increasingly incentivize creators for viral content.
One widely circulated image, available in various languages such as Greek, German, and French, portrayed French President Emmanuel Macron and other European leaders sitting with their heads bowed in a corridor of the White House. A conservative U.S. commentator known for disseminating misinformation regarding Ukraine described it as “complete humiliation.”
AFP fact-checkers identified the image as AI-generated, noting visual discrepancies and inconsistencies with official photographs from the meetings held on Monday, during which Macron and other European leaders convened with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky and Trump.
Pro-Kremlin voices ridiculed the leaders, dubbing them the “Coalition of the Waiting,” a play on words referencing the “Coalition of the Willing,” the group of European nations that showed support for Ukraine during their meeting with Trump. This image was further promoted by media outlets affiliated with the Pravda network, a Moscow-based entity known for spreading pro-Russian viewpoints, according to the misinformation watchdog NewsGuard.
Other viral AI-generated content included a video of Trump and Putin sliding down snowy hills, munching on a carrot beside a snowman, and dancing with a polar bear. Another clip depicted the two leaders in a fistfight on a red carpet near an airplane staircase, with bodyguards standing by.
These tongue-in-cheek creations highlight how AI memes are increasingly competing with—and frequently overshadowing—genuine content online. As technology platforms reduce content moderation, the spread of these false videos is rapidly occurring, clouding public understanding of serious diplomatic initiatives aimed at resolving the conflict.
On Tuesday, Trump dismissed the prospect of sending U.S. troops to support any peace agreement regarding Ukraine but mentioned the possibility of offering air support, as European leaders began discussions on security assurances ahead of a potential meeting between Putin and Zelensky.
