Ukraine endorses Italy’s initiative for Olympic truce in 2026

Ukraine has backed Italy’s proposal for a global truce during the 2026 Winter Olympics, scheduled to take place from February 6 to 22, 2026.

Speaking at a briefing, Ukrainian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Heorhii Tykhyi said Kyiv supported the initiative put forward by Rome.

“We support such a call,” he stated, adding, however, that Russia had repeatedly violated similar truces in the past. “It should be recalled that Russia started a number of wars during the Olympic Truce. Russia began its invasion of Georgia during the Olympic Truce, and Russia began the invasion of Ukraine during the Olympic Truce,” Tykhyi said.

The spokesperson stressed that Ukraine was ready for a ceasefire with Russia not only during the Olympics, but immediately. He noted that Kyiv had already accepted a ceasefire proposal put forward by the United States, but Moscow had ignored it.

“If Russia needs an ‘Olympic truce’ for this, then let it be an Olympic truce. But we are, in principle, insisting that it happens before the Olympics,” Tykhyi continued. “I think that the Italian minister’s statement is also aimed at stimulating Russia toward the peace process — toward meaningful diplomacy and real steps toward peace,” he emphasised.

Earlier, on October 7, Italian Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani proposed introducing a global truce for the duration of the Winter Olympics, saying that Italy was presenting this idea to the United Nations.

By Tamilla Hasanova