While several international conflicts are underway, Emmanuel Macron intends to ease tensions during the Paris 2024 Olympic Games. Indeed, in an interview given to La Tribune and La Provence, the head of state explains that it is one of the subjects he will discuss with the Chinese president on Monday and Tuesday, during his visit to France. “The Olympic truce must serve us to send a message to the world,” he said, believing that this will be an opportunity to take “diplomatic initiatives.”
For the President of the Republic, the Olympic Games which will take place this summer in Paris have of course economic, social and sporting issues, but also international ones. “These Games will allow us to have an international summit 24 hours before the opening to promote an agenda corresponding to our preliminary objectives, but the Olympic truce is, for me, the main message,” he pointed out.
“Try everywhere”
“We will try to obtain it for all theaters of conflict,” insisted Emmanuel Macron. Asked about applying this goal to the war in Ukraine as well, he replied that “you have to try everywhere.”
In mid-April, on the occasion of 100 days before the start of the Games, the president had already promised to “do everything to have an Olympic truce”. “When the guns fall silent, you must renegotiate, you must find yourself around the table with those you fought,” he underlined during an interview with RMC and BFMTV. “The Chinese president is coming to Paris in a few weeks, I’m going to ask him to help me. It is also a diplomatic moment of peace,” he also announced.
The Head of State took the opportunity to welcome the decision of the International Olympic Committee, which refuses to invite Russian President Vladimir Putin following the invasion in Ukraine, but authorizes the participation in competitions of Russian athletes under a neutral banner. . A “proportionate and fair” choice, he said, stressing that “we condemn the country, but not the athletes”.
He also refused calls to exclude from the event Israel, engaged in a deadly response against Gaza following the October 7 attacks orchestrated by Hamas, modeled on Russia. On the contrary, he assured that “the Israeli flag will be there”. “Israel was the victim of a terrorist attack (…). We can disagree with Israel on the modalities of providing the response and protecting ourselves, but we cannot say that Israel is an attacker and therefore the distinction is very clear,” he argued, calling at the same time to “find a path of peace in the region”.
