French President Emmanuel Macron appeared to go in for a hug with Icelandic Prime Minister Kristrún Frostadóttir in Dublin, but she seemed to step back, leaving him leaning in for an awkward greeting.The French president was pictured leaning towards Frostadóttir, who moved back while keeping a hand on his shoulder. She appeared uncomfortable and glanced towards a photographer standing nearby, who captured the exchange.Macron, meanwhile, seemed unfazed, smiling as he looked at her while leaning in to greet her.The encounter took place during a round-table meeting of European leaders at the European Political Community gathering in Dublin, The Daily Mail reported.This is not the first time Macron’s public interactions with a woman leader have attracted attention online. His exchanges with Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni have repeatedly sparked discussion on social media.At last year’s G7 Summit in Canada’s Kananaskis, a video showed Macron leaning towards Meloni and whispering something in her ear.Meloni, who was seated beside him, leaned in to listen before rolling her eyes. The clip went viral, with social media users speculating about what the French president had said.Another interaction between the two leaders drew attention when Macron shook Meloni’s hand and kissed it. Her reaction was interpreted by some as displeasure, with reports describing her as looking “furious”.The exchange came days after the two leaders had clashed over the inclusion of specific language on abortion rights in the final statement of the June 2024 G7 Summit, hosted by Italy.Another greeting at the Elysee Palace in Paris earlier this year also became a talking point. Macron appeared to prolong a cheek-to-cheek greeting, while Meloni’s brief reaction was interpreted by some viewers as one of surprise.
