French President Emmanuel Macron has criticized Russian President Vladimir Putin for rejecting a temporary “Olympic truce” during the Games held in Paris. Macron stated that Putin’s refusal to agree to a cease-fire shows that he is not ready to make peace in Ukraine. Both Putin and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy have rejected the idea of a truce, with Zelenskyy stating that it would only benefit Moscow on the battlefield. Macron called for the truce alongside Chinese President Xi Jinping as an opportunity to build ties and work towards a longer-term end to the war.
Macron emphasized the importance of sustainable peace as the endgame, rather than just a temporary truce during the Olympics. He suggested that using the Olympic truce as a diplomatic opportunity to engage with China and others who support peace could help increase pressure on those responsible for launching the war, referring to Russia. Macron has taken a more hawkish stance on Russia in recent months, even refusing to rule out the possibility of sending Western troops to support Ukraine, which has angered the Kremlin.
Putin criticized the International Olympic Committee for violating its own principles by banning Russian athletes from competing under their country’s flag or name. Zelenskyy also rejected the concept of a truce that would benefit the enemy. The idea of the Olympic truce, known as Ekecheiria, dates back to the ancient Games in 776 B.C. and was revived by the IOC in 1993 in response to conflicts in the Balkans. However, it has been ignored several times since then, most notably by Russia during various conflicts, including the Russia-Georgia War during Beijing 2008 and the invasion of Ukraine during Beijing 2022.
Despite efforts to push for a temporary truce during the Olympics, Putin’s rejection of the proposal suggests that he is not interested in making peace in Ukraine. Macron’s call for a truce was intended to build diplomatic ties with China as well as increase pressure on Russia to end the conflict. The concept of the Olympic truce has a long history dating back to ancient times, but has been ignored in recent years by Russia during various conflicts. Putin and Zelenskyy’s rejection of the truce highlights the ongoing tensions in the region and the challenges of reaching a peaceful resolution to the conflict.
