German Chancellor Olaf Scholz, who visited Kiev for the first time in two and a half years yesterday, sparked speculation on social media upon his arrival in the Ukrainian capital - but it had nothing to do with the financial aid packages, DPA reported, BTA reported.
Instead of the usual leather briefcase - Scholz's trademark, which he says he has had for decades - the German chancellor was seen carrying a silver suitcase with him when he stepped out onto the platform at the Kiev railway station.
Some internet users joked that the suitcase might have contained a thermos of coffee and sandwiches, while others suggested that Scholz had nothing in his suitcase, but had come to pick up something. Another popular online speculation was that the chancellor might be personally delivering the last package of weapons promised to Ukraine worth 650 million euros in the briefcase.
Other users are wondering whether the silver suitcase also contains the leather briefcase that Scholz bought when he started working as a lawyer about 40 years ago, as he himself revealed in a 2022 post on "Instagram".
"Some of my colleagues or employees think it's worn out. I call it patina. I like the briefcase more and more with each passing year," he said at the time.
At a joint press conference with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky in Kiev, the mystery was solved. One of the journalists asked Scholz what was in the suitcase. "What details are you interested in?", Scholz asked, then said that "these are mainly travel accessories, laundry and other essentials".
German Chancellor Olaf Scholz arrived in Kyiv.
— Anton Gerashchenko (@Gerashchenko_en) December 2, 2024
Thank you for your support! We are waiting for good news.
Note that I didn't write anything about the suitcase. pic.twitter.com/MvvIlxYfPf