Conor McGregor posting picture with Vladimir Putin reportedly earned disapproval from Ukrainian president
Conor McGregor is not in the good books of Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky. He did not take kindly to McGregor's photo-op alongside Russian President Vladimir Putin back in 2018.
Zelensky expressed his reservations about McGregor in a recent meeting with Irish delegates Ceann Comhairle Seán Ó Fearghaíl and Seanad Cathaoirleach Mark Daly. While the Ukranian president was once a McGregor fan, he changed his opinion after 'The Notorious' posted a picture with Putin. Speaking of Zelensky's opinion of the UFC superstar, Daly told the Irish Independent:
"He felt he wasn’t being supportive of Ukraine."
McGregor was in Moscow for the 2018 World Cup final when he met Putin ahead of France's 4-2 win over Croatia. The Irishman had a brief conversation with the 70-year-old via a translator before posing for pictures.
Enjoying the World Cup final in Russia.
A truly amazing spectacle! https://t.co/OEeOBmEp9y
McGregor even dared to put his arms around Putin, but a member of the Russian president's security detail asked him to remove it. The Irishman then posted a picture with Putin, hailing him as one of the greatest leaders of our time. He wrote in a now-deleted post:
"Today I was invited to the World Cup final as a guest of Russian President Vladimir Putin. This man is one of the greatest leaders of our time and I was honored to attend such a landmark event alongside him. Today was an honor for me Mr. Putin. Thank you and congratulations on an amazing World Cup" via BloodyElbow
Conor McGregor claims to have gifted the first bottle of Proper No. 12 to Vladimir Putin
Conor McGregor's Proper No.12 Whiskey was founded the year 'Notorious' met Vladimir Putin. The Irishman claims to have gifted the first bottle of Proper No. 12 to the Russian president.
But McGregor only gave the bottle to Putin's security, who apparently had to run a posion-check to see it the whiskey was safe. The Irishman said at a press conference in Moscow:
"Many people don't know, the very first bottle of Proper Twelve Irish whiskey, I gifted to Vladimir Putin. President Putin's security detail is second to none as I'm sure you know, you don't mess around with Vladimir. So, I gifted the bottle and I gifted it to his security. They had to take the liquid from the bottle to make sure the liquid was safe and it was not maybe poisoned or what not and then it was gifted to Vladimir Putin." via @irishmirror.ie