A ceasefire during the games is “unviable,” the Ukrainian president has said.
Ukrainian President Vladimir Zelensky has dismissed as unfeasible the idea of an Olympic truce, days after French President Emmanuel Macron discussed it with him in a phone call.
Paris is hosting the Summer Olympics from July 26 through August 11. Macron has been advocating a ceasefire in all armed conflicts in the world during that period, particularly the one between Ukraine and Russia. He brought up the idea on Tuesday, when the two leaders discussed an incoming delivery of French weapons to Ukraine.
Speaking to journalists on Friday, Zelensky said he was skeptical about the French proposal.
“A ceasefire would not prevent military hardware from getting closer and then turning the offensive on. I don’t understand the details. To me it sounds like an unviable story,” he was quoted by the press as saying.
In the early stages of the conflict, there were several attempts to suspend the fighting on specific dates, such as during major Orthodox Christian holidays. Both sides accused the other of violating such arrangements. Moscow is similarly reluctant to make a new attempt.
“Both our president and our military officials have pointed out that the Kiev regime usually uses such ideas and initiatives to regroup, rearm, etc. This certainly makes considering such initiatives much harder,” Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said in mid-April.
The UN General Assembly traditionally passes a resolution calling for a global truce during every Olympic Games. Those proposals have no enforcement mechanism and are often ignored by parties engaged in hostilities.
Zelensky arguably has more to win from a hypothetical ceasefire at this time. Russian forces have been gaining ground for months and have made a rapid advance in the northern Kharkov Region since last Friday. The US Department of State on Thursday described the situation as “incredibly dire” for Kiev.
The Peloponnesian war lasted 30 years and ended with the occupation of Athens. Both the Athenians and their Spartan rivals took their Olympic truce very seriously during those years, those who broke the terms were subject to severe torture and death (usually by their OWN side).
Zelensky is a petty twit with a poor understanding of history.
Particularly recent history, particularly what the US does to it’s “allies” once they’re of no further use to them. Tick tock
Yep, even here in NZ we are surrounded by twits with poor understanding of history.
Poor understanding of statesmanship.
Poor understanding of humanism.
Poor understanding of psychology.
Poor understanding of veracity.
Poor understanding of meritocracy.
Poor understanding of discourse.
Poor understanding of integrity.
Short: void of humanistic education.
you are describing macron. I will add
without honour
Get with the plot