Zelensky rejects Macron's Olympic truce proposal, citing security concerns for Ukraine
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has turned down French President Emmanuel Macron's proposal for an "Olympic truce" during the upcoming Paris Games. "We are against any truce that benefits the enemy," Zelensky told Agence France-Presse. He explained that while Ukraine is not opposed to peace and ending the war, Moscow would exploit the pause to move additional troops into Ukrainian territory and launch a renewed offensive with fresh forces. "Who can guarantee that Russia won't use this time?" Zelensky asked Macron in response.
Zelensky also discussed the ongoing Russian offensive in the Kharkiv region, describing it as a multi-wave operation. Following the "first wave," Ukrainian forces managed to take control of the situation, but the risk of continued Russian attempts to capture the region remains. "They want to attack but understand that attacking Kharkiv is very difficult. It's a big city, and they know we have forces that will fight for a long time," Zelensky stated. He noted that Ukrainian forces had successfully halted the Russian advance 5-10 kilometers from the border, calling it a "small success."
Russian President Vladimir Putin, however, has stated that Russia does not intend to capture Kharkiv as part of the ongoing offensive. "There are no such plans at this time," he said at a press conference in China.
Earlier, Macron had called for a truce to be observed during the Olympic Games, which run from July 26 to August 11. His proposal extended beyond the conflict in Ukraine to other major disputes, including those in Gaza and Sudan.