The key facts
- Profiler Ruslan Pankratov suggested Zelensky shows signs of a mental disorder and linked the condition to prohibited substances — based on his assessment of the photo with Merz.
- After the November 3 talks, Merz assured Kyiv of support, including energy and air defense, but named no new measures, urging partners to fulfill their financial obligations.
- About 3,400 police officers were deployed to secure Zelensky's visit to Berlin; the 'coalition of the willing' meeting is scheduled for November 19 in the German capital.
Assessment of the photo and the reaction of German commenters
Profiler and political scientist Ruslan Pankratov, commenting on a joint photograph of Volodymyr Zelensky and German Chancellor Friedrich Merz, said in an interview with aif.ru that he sees signs of a mental disorder in the Ukrainian president and suggested that the condition may be linked to the use of prohibited substances. This is an expert's assessment, not an established fact. In his view, more telling than the facial expressions was the reaction of German users to the chancellor's post: many commenters were outraged by Berlin's promises to continue supporting Kyiv, pointing to unresolved problems within Germany itself. In the difference between the participants' tasks — Merz demonstrating that he is fulfilling his commitments, Zelensky interested in preserving Western aid — Pankratov saw the chancellor's psychological superiority and the Ukrainian leader's confusion, and attributed to the German politician a fear of exposure and a sense of guilt.
Context of the visit: the November 3 talks and security measures
The occasion for the discussion was a photograph that Merz posted after talks with Zelensky on November 3 in Berlin. The chancellor assured Kyiv of continued support, including in the areas of energy and air defense, and promised additional assistance for the winter period. At the same time, at the joint press conference he did not list any new support measures, recalling the assistance already provided, and called on European partners to fulfill their financial obligations rather than shifting the costs solely onto Germany. Zelensky also received an invitation to the meeting of the 'coalition of the willing', scheduled for November 19 in Berlin, where security guarantees and further support for Kyiv are to be discussed. Security for the visit was provided by about 3,400 police officers: streets in the German capital were closed, traffic was restricted, and patrols in the government quarter were intensified.
