Paris 2024: Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky rejects the Olympic truce wanted by Emmanuel Macron
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky indicated, in an interview on Friday May 17 with AFP, that he had rejected the idea of “truce” in the war with Russia during the Paris Olympic Games (July 26 – August 11) that French President Emmanuel Macron wanted.
“I said: Emmanuel, we don’t believe in it. Let’s imagine for a second that there is a ceasefire. First of all, we don’t trust [Vladimir] Poutine. Second, he is not going to withdraw his troops. Thirdly, (…) tell me Emmanuel, I said, who guarantees that Russia will not take advantage of this to bring its troops to our territory”said Volodymyr Zelensky, rejecting a “truce which would play into the hands of the enemy”.
“We are not against a truce, we are not against the end of the war. But we want a just end to this war. And we are against a truce which would play into the hands of the enemy”he added.
A few hours earlier, the Russian president, traveling in China, had implied that he was also opposed to an Olympic truce because his country was banned from the Olympics because of its invasion of Ukraine.
“International sports officials are today violating the principles of the Olympic Charter (…) with regard to Russia by preventing our athletes from participating in the Olympics under their flag, with their national anthem, but they want us to obey the rules they impose on us, did he declare. PTo demand something from others, you must respect the rules yourself.he concluded.
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