Zelensky and Putin react to Paris Olympics ceasefire proposal
2024/05/17
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky attends a meeting during a working trip to Kharkiv. -/Ukraine Presidency/dpa
Both Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky and Russian President Vladimir Putin have expressed reservations about a proposed ceasefire in Ukraine during the Olympic Games in Paris this summer.
The proposal, first mentioned by French President Emmanuel Macron and later discussed by Chinese President Xi Jinping, aims to halt hostilities during the Games.
Zelensky told the online news site Ukrainska Pravda on Friday that the details of the initiative were not clear to him.
He highlighted the risks of Russia potentially using the ceasefire to move military equipment closer to Ukraine then.
Zelensky raised the question of "who will ensure that their forces do not advance towards us during a ceasefire?
"So I don't understand the details. It sounds like a non-viable story to me so far."
Putin, returning from a state visit to China, acknowledged that Xi had brought up the ceasefire idea but did not elaborate further.
However, he criticized the West for demanding that Russia adhere to an Olympic truce while excluding Russian athletes from the Games.
Moscow had also previously expressed doubts about such an initiative, as Ukraine could use the period of the Games to further arm its armed forces and regroup for war.
After Macron brought up the idea earlier, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov had said there were no concrete proposals from Paris on how to proceed.
Both Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky and Russian President Vladimir Putin have expressed reservations about a proposed ceasefire in Ukraine during the Olympic Games in Paris this summer.
The proposal, first mentioned by French President Emmanuel Macron and later discussed by Chinese President Xi Jinping, aims to halt hostilities during the Games.
Zelensky told the online news site Ukrainska Pravda on Friday that the details of the initiative were not clear to him.
He highlighted the risks of Russia potentially using the ceasefire to move military equipment closer to Ukraine then.
Zelensky raised the question of "who will ensure that their forces do not advance towards us during a ceasefire?
"So I don't understand the details. It sounds like a non-viable story to me so far."
Putin, returning from a state visit to China, acknowledged that Xi had brought up the ceasefire idea but did not elaborate further.
However, he criticized the West for demanding that Russia adhere to an Olympic truce while excluding Russian athletes from the Games.
Moscow had also previously expressed doubts about such an initiative, as Ukraine could use the period of the Games to further arm its armed forces and regroup for war.
After Macron brought up the idea earlier, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov had said there were no concrete proposals from Paris on how to proceed.
Russian President Vladimir Putin attends a press conference with and Chinese President Xi Jinping (Not Pictured) after signing a joint statement on deepening relations of comprehensive partnership and strategic interaction. Putin is on a two-day state visit to China. -/Kremlin/dpa
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