Sybiha: 14 countries, EU refused to attend Paralympics opening ceremony
Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha announced this on X, Ukrinform reports.
"Austria, Romania, and the United Kingdom have confirmed that their officials will not attend the 2026 Paralympic Games' opening ceremony. Already, 14 countries and the EU have refused to participate in this event, in which the International Paralympic Committee allowed Russia and Belarus to wave their blood-stained flags. And the number is growing," he said.
Sybiha thanked Ukraine's partners for taking "this morally sound stance."
"These aren't simply flags – these are symbols of an aggressive war that killed at least 650 Ukrainian athletes and coaches, damaged 800 sports facilities, and resulted in hundreds of thousands of war crimes," the minister said.
He called on all countries to refrain from sending officials to the ceremony.
"Say no to war propaganda and sportswashing," Sybiha said.
The 2026 Winter Paralympic Games will kick off in Italy on March 6.
The International Paralympic Committee said that six Russian and four Belarusian athletes will be allowed to compete at the 2026 Winter Paralympics in Milan-Cortina under their national flags.
At the same time, the IPC has banned Ukraine from wearing sports uniforms with a "political" design at the 2026 Paralympics.
Several countries, including Ukraine, Canada, Czechia, Finland, Poland, Estonia and Latvia, have refused to attend the opening ceremony of the Paralympics in Verona on March 6.
Photo: Milano Cortina 2026 / Х
