As talks over the Ukraine crisis drag on, internet users can’t get over Russian President Vladimir Putin’s visually striking setting for his meeting in the Kremlin with French President Emmanuel Macron: an ornate, larger-than-life white table.
A number of issues were on the 20-foot table during the two leaders’ five-hour meeting. Chiefly, in an attempt to defuse fears that Moscow could invade Ukraine, Macron aimed to “freeze the game” by offering Putin “concrete security guarantees.”
But nothing caught on among online observers quite like the table, which raised questions once more about Putin’s extreme Covid-19 social-distancing precautions.
Here’s a look at some of our favorite oversized table memes from across the Russian internet:
One Twitter user edited the table to illustrate how vast it really felt.
A number of memes suggested the two presidents settled their differences through a show of sporting prowess, the table more suited for badminton and table tennis than talking about territorial disputes.
Another person poked fun at the chasmic table by photoshopping an eyesight test into Macron's hands.
One user forebodingly proposed the table was suited to more biblical activities than diplomacy, combining an image of the table with that of the Last Supper.
A Twitter user combined the table with another seating arrangement-based meme, editing a dissatisfied looking U.S. Senator Bernie Sanders into the talks.
Internet sensation 'Doge' found his way into the meme, a user editing him in as a mediator for the talks.
Others took the opportunity of a comically large table to crowd as many memes as possible between a now close-together Putin and Macron.
Ultimately, the future of the Ukraine crisis is still in limbo...
