Zelenskyy assessed the participation of Russians and the successes of Ukrainians in the 2026 Paralympics
Kyiv • UNN
The President called Russia's admission an attempt to avoid isolation and urged allies to pressure the IOC. Ukrainian Paralympians have already topped the overall medal standings.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy commented on the participation of Ukrainians, as well as Russians under their flags, in the Paralympic Games for the first time since 2014. He stated this in an interview with journalist Kaylin Robertson, as reported by UNN.
Details
As Zelenskyy noted, participation in major sporting events is a way to strengthen one's influence, as the audience that can be reached is very large. According to him, Russia needs its flag there, as well as victories, to show that it is not isolated from the world, despite its aggression against Ukraine.
Zelenskyy noted that Ukraine must act against Russians using the tools available to it.
We raise this topic every time it is appropriate. We are trying to rally allies against the decisions of the International Olympic Committee and the International Paralympic Committee, which allow the participation of Russians
He also emphasized that Ukrainian athletes at the Paralympic Games, among whom are veterans of the Russian-Ukrainian war, are very strong.
The victories they achieve and the medals they bring are important not only for them but also for Ukraine as a state. They are doing a great job, because this is also a blow to the Russians. I hope we win
Recall
The Ukrainian national team took the lead in the medal standings of the 2026 Paralympic Games after the first day of competition. Ukrainian biathletes won six awards, including three gold medals.