Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy rejected French leader Emmanuel Macron’s call for a truce with Russia during the Paris Olympics and criticized Western countries for calling for an early end to the war.
The ancient tradition dating back to ancient Greece of a truce during the Games will not be observed at this year’s Paris Olympics, which will be held in the French capital from July 26 to August 11.
French President Emmanuel Macron took the opportunity last month to propose a ceasefire between Ukraine and Russia, but neither Kiev nor Russia appear to be heeding calls for peace.
In response to Macron’s proposal, interview President Zelenskiy insisted in an interview with Agence France-Presse (AFP) on Friday that the Olympic Truce would only be used to benefit Russia by moving troops and equipment without fear of attack by Ukraine.
“If it’s a ceasefire, an Olympic truce during the Olympics, a ground ceasefire, they will have an advantage,” he said, adding, “There is a risk that they will bring heavy equipment into our territory and no one will be able to bring it. ” he said. We’ll be able to stop them. ”
President Zelenskiy declared: “We oppose any ceasefire that falls into the hands of the enemy.”
The Ukrainian president previously expressed concerns directly to Macron about the proposal, telling the French president: “To be honest…Emmanuel, I don’t believe it…First of all, we don’t trust President Putin.” He said he had told him. .
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— Breitbart London (@BreitbartLondon) May 13, 2024
Russian strongman Vladimir Putin also highlighted the restrictions placed on the Russian team over the International Olympic Committee’s (IOC) invasion of Ukraine, and threw cold water on the concept of an Olympic truce during the Paris Games.
Russian athletes and Belarus athletes will only be allowed to compete as individual neutral athletes (AIN). Sports teams from Russia and Belarus will also be banned from participating in Olympic team competitions.
President Putin’s Room Said He said he believed “the Olympic principles, including the ‘Olympic Truce’, are very correct,” and suggested that this would be impossible given the sanctions against Russia for alleged violations of the Olympic Charter.
He said the IOC “does not allow our athletes to compete with our flag, our national flag, our national music and our national anthem.”
“They have committed violations against us and are demanding performance from us. That won’t get us far, dear friends. No one who has reached such an agreement is now “Sen,” he said.
Russia and Belarus are planning to hold their own sports tournaments in September.
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— Breitbart London (@BreitbartLondon) May 4, 2024
