Video Does Not Show Biden Dozing Off During Meeting with Lavrov
The Claim
A video shows the moment when U.S. President Joe Biden appears to be asleep during a meeting with Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov.
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A video circulating on social media appears to show U.S. President Joe Biden dozing off during a meeting with Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov.
Lavrov is seen in the video asking if Biden fell asleep and if everything is okay.
Misbar’s Analysis
Misbar investigated the circulating video and found it to be misleading.
A reverse image search revealed the two combined video clips to be outdated and unrelated to the same meeting.
Joe Biden Falls Asleep During COP26 Speeches
The video of U.S. President Joe Biden falling asleep was not shot recently during a meeting with the Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov.
Misbar's team found the original video published by The Telegraph’s official YouTube account on November 1, 2021.
The video’s caption reads, “Joe Biden appears to fall asleep during COP26 speeches.”
Searching online using the video’s caption, Misbar’s team found many reliable media outlets publishing the same video.
BBC Reports the Event
According to the BBC, a video clip has surfaced showing Joe Biden with his eyes shut during the COP26 climate change conference.
The American leader, along with other prominent figures from across the world, has traveled to Glasgow for the event.
The summit is regarded as a pivotal moment in the fight against climate change, with nearly 200 countries being solicited for their proposals to reduce emissions. The outcome of the conference could have a significant impact on our daily routines. Biden has praised the conference as a remarkable chance to make a difference.
Russian FM Lavrov Draws Attention to Journalist Incident
The second video that shows the Russian Foreign Minister drawing attention to Biden as he falls asleep is actually outdated and unrelated to Joe Biden's sleeping video.
Russian News, a YouTube channel, published the original video on January 25, 2023.
According to the channel, the footage shows the Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov, during one of the press conferences in Africa, drawing attention to the fact that something happened to one of the journalists.
Lavrov's words were not uttered to Joe Biden but to a journalist who seemed to fall asleep during the conference.
Lavrov said: "Did you fall asleep there? Something happened? Well okay!"
Russia’s Lavrov Slammed by Western Diplomats
During a United Nations Security Council meeting on "Maintenance of international peace and security," hosted by the Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov on April 24, Western diplomats strongly criticized Russia's unprovoked assault on Ukraine.
Lavrov was presiding over the session as Russia currently holds the rotating presidency of the Security Council.
In their speeches, the UN ambassadors for the United States, United Kingdom, and Switzerland condemned Russia's invasion, directly addressing Lavrov with strong criticism.
Lavrov made accusations against the Ukrainian government, labeling them as "the putchists" and "the Nazi Kyiv regime," in an attempt to justify Russia's invasion of the country. Additionally, he criticized Western nations for not acknowledging Crimea as Russian territory, despite a disputed referendum being held there.
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