Washington Capitals star Alexander Ovechkin called for an end to war as forces from Russia invade the neighboring country of Ukraine.
Ovechkin, a 36-year-old born in Moscow during the Soviet Union and who has voiced support of Russian President Vladimir Putin in the past, described the conflict as being a “hard situation” when interviewed by reporters in Philadelphia on Friday, the Washington Post reported.
“I hope soon it’s going to be over and there’s going to be peace in the whole world,” Ovechkin said.
OVECHKIN LOOKING GREAT AGAIN FOR CAPITALS
“Like, I’m Russian, right,” Ovechkin said. “I hope it’s going to end soon,” he said, adding that he wishes for “peace in both countries.”
When asked if he still supported Putin, even after the Russian president announced a “special military operation” with forces invading Ukraine during the early hours of Thursday morning, Ovechkin said that he was his “president.”
“I’m not in politics. I’m an athlete,” Ovechkin said. “It’s a hard situation right now, for both sides and everything. Everything I hope is going to end. I’m not in control of this situation.”
The NHL player supported Putin as he sought a fourth term in office. In 2017, Ovechkin announced that he was starting a “Putin Team” movement as an effort to boost the president ahead of the 2018 election, according to Reuters.
Washington Capitals captain Alex Ovechkin media availability after practice in Philadelphia. pic.twitter.com/y2gxFpV3CL
— Washington Capitals (@Capitals) February 25, 2022
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“My family is over there,” Ovechkin said. “Of course I pay attention to what’s happening out there. I don’t want to see nobody get hurt, nobody get killed.”
