Ukraine denounces this decision: the European Broadcasting Union announced on Friday that the country, at war with Russia, will not be able to host next year’s competition.
“Under the current circumstances, the security and operational guarantees necessary to host, organize and produce Eurovision (…) cannot be fulfilled” by Ukraine, the EBU said in a statement. The organization is thus examining the possibility that Great Britain, second in the ranking, will replace it. Discussions with the BBC should be initiated quickly.
“We are calling for additional negotiations on the hosting of Eurovision-2023 in Ukraine”, however reacted the Ukrainian Minister of Culture, Oleksandre Tkatchenko, in a press release.
The country of the group or artist who won the Eurovision Song Contest should normally organize the competition the following year. The Kalush Orchestra of Ukraine, whose song “Stefania” mixes hip-hop and traditional music, won the competition in Italy on May 15, ahead of the United Kingdom and Spain, thanks to the vote of viewers who voted for the group representing the country invaded at the end of February by Russian troops. The EBU, however, underlined that it had “the firm intention that Ukraine’s victory will be reflected in the shows next year”.
British Prime Minister Boris Johnson welcomed the initiative, according to his spokesperson. “We would, of course, be happy to be able to work closely with Ukraine and the BBC to bring him here to the UK,” the spokesperson said. He added that the UK would “commit to ensuring” that the competition “broadly reflects Ukraine’s rich culture, heritage and creativity”.