Volodymyr Zelensky, the president of Ukraine, criticized the West for demanding a quick resolution to the conflict after French President Emmanuel Macron called for a ceasefire with Russia during the Paris Olympics.
The historical custom of a peace during the activities, which dates back to ancient Greece, will likely not get observed during the upcoming Olympics in Paris, which will take place from July 26 through August 11 in the French capital.
While Emmanuel Macron, the president of France, suggested last month to use the event to declare a stalemate between Ukraine and Russia, it seems neither Kyiv nor Moscow are interested in resolving the conflict.
President Zelensky argued in an interview with Agence France-Presse ( AFP ) on Friday that Russia would only benefit from an Olympics truce by moving troops and equipment without being at risk of being attacked by Ukraine.
” If it’s a peace, an Olympic peace for the duration of the Olympics, a area peace, they will have an benefit”, he said, saying that there is” a risk that they will deliver heavy equipment to our country and no one will be able to stop them”.
” We are against any peace that plays into the hands of the enemy”, Zelensky declared.
The Ukrainian president said that he previously expressed his concerns about the proposal directly to Macron, saying that he told the French president:” Let’s be honest … Emmanuel, I do n’t believe it … First of all, we do n’t trust Putin”.
Ukraine in’ Fierce ‘ Fighting With Russia at Eastern Border, Zelensky Sayshttps: //t. co/bcxzn2KXZD
— Breitbart London ( @BreitbartLondon ) May 13, 2024
Vladimir Putin, the leader of Russia, also criticized the idea of an Olympic truce during the Paris Games by highlighting the restrictions imposed on Russian athletes by the International Olympic Committee ( IOC)’s ( IOC ) invasion of Ukraine.
Russian and Belarusian athletes will only be permitted to compete as individual neutral athletes ( AINs ). Russian and Belarussian gymnastics team will also be prohibited from competing in Olympic group events.
Putin claimed that he believed the” Olympian principles, including the” Olympic peace,” were quite right, but that this would not be feasible given the restrictions being imposed on Russia, which he claimed were in violation of the Olympic charter.
He cited the IOC’s policy of” not allowing our athletes to compete at the game with our symbol, flag, and our national songs, our anthem.”
They demand that we be satisfied and are committing crimes against us. Dear friends: we wo n’t get far that way. No one has ever reached a consensus in that manner, he claimed.
Russia and Belarus intend to hold a separate sports opposition in September.
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— Breitbart London ( @BreitbartLondon ) May 4, 2024
