Emmanuel Macron, President of the French Republic, continues his efforts to make the Olympic Truce effective, but his attempts have yielded no results. Both Vladimir Putin and Volodymyr Zelensky have rejected the French president’s call for a truce.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has rejected the idea, stating that it could aid Russia in moving its troops. He revealed that he personally spoke with Macron to express his opposition. “First of all, we do not trust Putin. We are against any truce that plays into the enemy’s hands… no one will be able to stop them,” Zelensky declared.

When asked about Macron’s proposal, Russian President Vladimir Putin also dismissed the idea. “I believe these Olympic principles, including the Olympic Truce, are very correct, but international sports leaders disobey the principles of the Olympic Charter,” Putin commented. He further noted that sports organizations “are not allowing Russian athletes to compete under their flag and anthem.”

🔴 Emmanuel Macron “remercie” Xi Jinping de soutenir une “trêve olympique” pendant les Jeux de Paris.

🗣️ “Nous pensons ensemble qu’une trêve olympique pour tous les théâtres de guerre peut être une occasion de travailler à un règlement durable dans le plein respect du droit… pic.twitter.com/05rkanyXqQ

— franceinfo (@franceinfo) May 6, 2024

Another international leader who has spoken out is Chinese President Xi Jinping. He has backed the idea of a truce in all conflicts, suggesting it is an opportunity to work towards a ceasefire between countries.

A BROKEN TRADITION

The Olympic Truce is an ancient Greek tradition dating back to 776 B.C. A “truce” was declared before and after the Olympic Games to ensure that the host city-state would not be attacked and that athletes and spectators could travel safely to the Games and return peacefully to their countries.

In 1992, the International Olympic Committee rescued that tradition and urged all countries to observe the Olympic truce after the Yugoslav War.