Italy seeks worldwide truce for Olympics in February

Italy has called for a ceasefire in all wars during the Winter Olympic Games, which will take place in February 2026 in the north of the country.

As reported by Italian news agency ANSA, on the sidelines of the 12th conference "Italy – Latin America and the Caribbean: a growing partnership" in Rome on 7 October, Tajani said: "We must be champions of peace."

"We support the US plan (for Gaza), and, as Pope Leo has said, we must never give up hoping for peace. Rome and Italy are increasingly the crossroads of peace, development and growth. In view of the Milano Cortina Olympics, we are presenting a proposal for an Olympic Truce for all wars, including Ukraine and the Middle East, to the United Nations," Antonio Tajani, Italian Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, said.

The Winter Olympic Games will be held from 6 to 26 February 2026 in the Italian cities of Milan and Cortina d'Ampezzo.

Ukraine, together with the US, has proposed to Russia a full unconditional ceasefire as a minimum step to reduce civilian suffering and open space for peace negotiations.

Russia refused to accept this proposal, arguing that it wants to achieve a "long-term peace".

Russia has also presented a memorandum with demands, including the withdrawal of Ukrainian forces from Russia's occupied regions and a halt to Western assistance to Ukraine as conditions for a ceasefire. Ukraine has called these conditions unacceptable.