An unusually-long table featuring in photos of Russian President Vladimir Putin’s meetings with foreign leaders has become the subject of memes and jokes on Twitter.
The table first appeared in a photo of a meeting last week between Vladimir Putin and his French counterpart Emmanuel Macron on the Ukraine crisis. Putin’s spokesperson had told AFP that Macron was made to sit away from him because he had refused to take a Russian coronavirus test.
Days later, Putin and German Chancellor Olaf Scholz also sat on the opposite sides of the same table during their meeting.
Read:
To Russia with love: Vast Italian table in Kremlin turns heads
Emmanuel Macron refused a Russian Covid test. How his meeting with Putin went
Social media users had a hearty laugh. “Putin’s meeting table is such a size that it’s possible that one day the Kremlin will recognize it as an independent state,” a user named Eto Buziashvili tweeted.
Another user shared a meme advertising the table as an IKEA product called “Putin".
Some users added animation to the photo of Putin and Macron's meeting to produce hilarious results.
The 20-feet-long table is a Covid safety measure but analysts see symbolism in it.
"It is obvious that he (Putin) is more and more alone," political analyst Konstantin Kalachev told AFP. "This loneliness is obvious, it seems he no longer cares what other people think of him."
The white table has been made by an Italian firm named Oak, which had signed a contract in the 1990s to provide furniture for Kremlin, Reuters reported.
"The table is really the tip of the iceberg," the firm's owner Renato Pologna told the news agency. "In all, we provided furniture and fittings for around 70 rooms (of Kremlin). Some of the other tables are even bigger."
(With inputs from AFP and Reuters)
Discover the latest Business News, Sensex, and Nifty updates. Obtain Personal Finance insights, tax queries, and expert opinions on Moneycontrol or download the Moneycontrol App to stay updated!
