At the end of April 2025, a video spread over the network, which compared the images of the Ukrainian and American first lady at the farewell ceremony with Francis. It is argued that the clothes and accessories of Zelenskaya were twice as expensive as those who chose Melania Trump. We checked the reliability of this video.

On April 29, on social networks, the news dispersed that Elena Zelenskaya visited the funeral of the Pope Francis in the outfit, the total cost of which was $ 180,000. Melania Trump was dressed two times cheaper-at $ 94,000. The posts were accompanied by a 40-second video on this topic, which allegedly published the British Daily Mail British. In signatures to the video, users are perplexed as the wife of the “richest president in history” (meaning Donald Trump) was more modest than the wife of the leader of the warring country.

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Pope Francis He died April 21, 2025 at the age of 88, his funeral took place Five days later. About 400,000 people gathered at the farewell ceremony in St. Peter Square in the Vatican, including the official delegations of 130 countries. The event was attended by many world leaders, in particular US President Donald Trump with his wife Melania, French President Emmanuel Macron with his wife Brigitte, British Prime Minister Cyrus Starmer with his wife Victoria, as well as President of Ukraine Vladimir Zelensky with his wife Elena.

The funeral of the Pope is not only a religious ceremony, but also an event with a rigid diplomatic protocol. Deviations from him are wide discussed In the media - for example, the Vatican’s decision to put the Zelensky to the first row, although according to the rules of leaders they are seated in alphabetically by the names of their countries in French, that is, the Ukrainian president and the first ladies were supposed to be in the third row. Many also drew attention to the inconsistencies of the dress code: Trump They accused The fact that he put on a blue suit instead of black, and Zelensky - The fact that he preferred a black jacket in the already familiar Militari style jacket.

In the upper left corner of the viral roller is the logo of the British tabloid Daily Mail. A video begins with a pop -up title “The image of Elena Zelenskaya for the funeral of the Pope was more expensive than that of Melania Trump.” The video itself is combined from personnel from the funeral of Francis, and the text of the news appears in the lower part of the screen in the form of subtitles in English. In the video it emphasizes that Zelenskaya first appeared in public after the spread of rumors about its unsuccessful escape from Ukraine and subsequent isolation. And for this appearance, she allegedly chose an outfit worth $ 180,000, while the clothes in Melania Trump cost her $ 94,000. The unnamed personal stylist of the first Lady of the United States explained that her image was due to the atmosphere of the ceremony, and also became the embodiment of restraint and sadness in both the outfit and in its cost.

Viral video. Source: Telegram

In its design, the video is very similar to such short videos in the verified Daily Mail accounts in social networks. However, there are significant differences. Firstly, under the heading in such videos, usually placed The signature that you can read the full version of the news on the Daily Mail website. Secondly, in the original rollers usually specified A photo or video source if it is not shot by the editorial staff themselves. Thirdly, subtitles are placed in the true rollers of the tabloid against the background of another shade of blue and are typed in a different font (this is noticeable, for example, by apostrophus).

From above - a screenshot from a viral video, from below - from video Daily Mail

Finally, in the verified accounts of the Daily Mail on social networks (Instagram, YouTube, Tiktok, Facebook, X) and on Official website There is no publication for both the video itself and the news about the cost of the outfit of Elena Zelenskaya. April 26, the tabloid published note The author describes the outfits of some other participants in the ceremony, including the Ukrainian first lady, about how Melania Trump dressed in the funeral of Francis, and closer to the end of the text. “Mrs. Zelenskaya decided to put on an official black jacket, a long skirt and dark tights, as is prescribed by the dressing room of the Vatican,” the publication says. The cost of outfits of the first ladies Daily Mail does not indicate.

Closer to the end of the video, a comment is given by the personal stylist of Melania Trump. His name is not mentioned, but the video shows Erve Pierre-a French-American fashion designer, repeatedly cooperated From the first Lady of the United States. However, these personnel Filmed Back in 2018, and in authoritative sources, Pierre’s comments on the image of Melania Trump at the funeral of the Pope could not be found.

“Verified” did not find publications on the sites of specialized media in which the cost of Zelenskaya’s outfits and Trump would be calculated. It is difficult to thoroughly study these outfits and compare prices: many photos and videos are shot from afar, and the clothing items themselves are devoid of bright details, which makes it difficult to identify. However, we can roughly assume how much the outfits cost, based on what is known about the fashionable habits of Elena Zelenskaya and Melania Trump.

Zelenskaya was dressed in a long black skirt and a black blazer with a turtleneck, only a wedding ring and brooch were visible from the jewelry. Personal stylist of the Ukrainian first lady Natalya Kamenskaya toldthat Zelenskaya prefers Ukrainian designers, her favorite brands - AMG, Gasanova And Litkovska. On their sites, the cost of such jackets and skirts does not exceed $ 1000 per one product. The choice of Zelenskaya jewelry also gives Preference to local jewelers and especially loves brooches that he puts on depending on the nature of the event.

More is known about the style of Melania Trump. The first lady of the United States never hid her love for luxury clothes - journalists Assessed Some of her outfits are tens of thousands of dollars. To the funeral of the pope, like write Media, Trump came in the clothes of the Dolce & Gabbana brand. The photo and video from the ceremony are not visible of the melania dress, but similar coats on the website of the Italian fashion house are worth it About $ 4500.

The viral video also says that Zelenskaya appeared in public for the first time after the spread of rumors about its escape and isolation. The source of these rumors is another fake video stylized for BBC content. The video, which reported that the wife of the President of Ukraine planned an escape for six months, was divorced over the network in early April. Then it was clarified that against the backdrop of political disagreements with her husband and the deterioration of relations in the family, Zelenskaya had already agreed with one of the European countries about political asylum, but her plan allegedly revealed the SBU.

Viral video. Source: Telegram

The BBC did not publish this video on its official pages, and information about the escape plan and critical disagreements between the President of Ukraine and his wife were not confirmed. Detailed analysis This fake made a fact from Lead Stories.

Fake video Daily Mail first Published Telegram channel "Bear" on April 29 at 14:04 Moscow time. This channel is often Found in the analysis of "tested" as the source or distributor of fake news, including similar rollersimitating reports of authoritative international media.

Thus, although it is not possible to reliably establish the cost of an outfit in which Elena Zelenskaya visited the funeral of the Pope is not possible, there is no reason to believe that he cost $ 180,000. The Daily Mail video was used as the only evidence, which, in turn, has a link to fake BBC video. Prochremple resources are far from the first to distribute fakes about the addiction of the Ukrainian first lady to luxury clothes - more recently they are They toldthat Zelenskaya spent almost $ 3 million on Princess Diana's dress, but it also turned out to be a lie.

Photo on the cover: Office of the President of Ukraine