Amid the intensifying Russia-Ukraine war and deepening Middle East crisis, France President Emmanual Macron has called for a truce during the Paris Olympics.
In his interview with French media, Macron said France would "do everything" to bring about a truce in the conflicts in Ukraine, Gaza and Sudan. "It is an opportunity in which I will try to involve many of our partners. The Chinese president is coming to Paris in a few weeks, I will ask him to help me," he said.
Macron said he will be making efforts towards achieving the truce when Paris hosts the Summer Games from July 26 to Aug 11.
What is Olympic truce?
The Olympic truce aims to ensure a halt to all hostilities, allowing the safety and participation of athletes and spectators for the Olympic and Paralympic Games.
The Olympic Truce was revived by the International Olympic Committee (IOC) in 1992.
The draft resolution for the Olympic Truce for Paris 2024 will be formally submitted to the member states by the Government of France in collaboration with the IOC, the International Paralympic Committee and the Organising Committee.
The introduction of the Olympic Truce draft resolution for Paris 2024 will be submitted at the United Nations headquarters in New York on November 21, 2023.
Not welcomed by Kremlin
Macron's call for a truce during the Paris Olympics was not welcomed by Kremlin. Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov said that it would be an opportunity for Kyiv to regroup and rearm.
Both President Vladimir Putin and the Russian military had noticed that "as a rule the Kyiv regime uses such ideas, such initiatives to try to regroup, to try to rearm, and so on and so forth," said Peskov.
The war that raged since 2022 had helped Russia gain many Ukraine towns including Avdiivka in February this year. With Ukraine running low on ammunition every day has become challenging to keep up the fight.
With latest Iran's air strike on Israel has worsened the Middle East crisis. Since the Hamas attack on October 7, the Israel-Gaza war has forced millions of Palestinians to flee their homes and seek refuge in Rafah, bordering Egypt. Though the US, Egypt and Qatar are attempting to work on a truce deal, it has not been fruitful so far.
