The situation between Russia and Ukraine have not deescalated and in a recent development Russian troops have initiated a summer campaign, seizing several villages along Ukraine’s northeastern border close to Kharkiv, which is Ukraine’s second-largest city. Amidst this the Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has turned down a proposition put forth by French President Emmanuel Macron for truce during this testing time.
As we draw nearer to the Paris Olympics the French leader along with his Chinese counter-part Xi Jinping advocated for a global ‘Olympic Truce’ during a joint press conference. “Maybe this could be an opportunity to work toward a sustainable resolution [of conflicts] in the full respect of international law,” Macron iterated during the joint press conference with Xi.
The concept of an ‘Olympic Truce’ did not sit comfortably with the Ukrainian President, who expressed worries about Russia’s offensive actions. He emphasized the risk of potential exploitation of any pause in defense capabilities during such a period. During his interview with Agence France-Presse, the Ukrainian leader made the statement.
“Let’s be honest … Emmanuel, I don’t believe it,” Zelenskyy told the news agency. “Who can guarantee that Russia will not use this time to bring its forces to our territory?” he asked. “We are against any truce that plays into the hands of the enemy,” the Ukrainian leader averred.
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Putin Also Averse To The Truce
The Russian President Vladimir Putin also rejected the proposal, emphasizing that there would be no adherence to ceasefire requests with Ukraine during the Paris Olympics. He highlighted the unfair treatment of Russian athletes in the games as a key reason for this stance.
“I think these Olympic principles, including the ‘Olympic truce’ are very right,” Putin said at the start of his comments on the matter. However, he added: “Today’s international sporting officials are themselves disobeying the principles of the Olympic charter.”
“They are committing violations against us and demand fulfilment from us. Dear friends: we won’t get far that way. No one has ever come to an agreement that way,” the Russian leader furthered.
Moreover, in response to these developments, Putin is organizing a rival sporting event in September following the exclusion of Russian athletes from representing their country in the Olympics, forcing them to compete as neutrals instead.
The Olympics Draw Near
The Paris Olympics are scheduled to begin from 26 July to 11 August 2024 in France. The main host city for the event is Paris, with an additional 16 cities located throughout Metropolitan France. There is also a subsite in Tahiti, which is an island within the French overseas territory of French Polynesia. Paris was granted the opportunity to host the Olympic games during the 131st IOC Session in Lima, Peru, on September 13, 2017. Following several withdrawals, only Paris and Los Angeles remained in the running. The International Olympic Committee (IOC) then decided to simultaneously award the 2024 and 2028 Summer Olympics to both cities.
The Olympics in Paris this time holds a special significance as this would mark Paris’s third time hosting the summer Olympics having previously done so in 1900 and 1924. It follows London, which hosted the Summer Olympics in 1908, 1948, and 2012, as the second city to achieve this feat.
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