UK PM Sunak ‘disappointed’ Zelenskyy was not allowed Eurovision address
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According to UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunak,
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy should have been permitted to speak at
the 2023
Eurovision finals, Sky News reported on May 12.
In a comment to Sky News, Sunak’s press office said the PM was “disappointed” by the European Broadcasting Union barring Zelenskyy from addressing the audience in Liverpool.
“The values and freedoms that President Zelenskyy and the people of Ukraine are fighting for are not political, they're fundamental, and Eurovision themselves recognized that last year when they rightly suspended Russia's participation from the competition,” 10 Downing Street press office said.
Sunak's predecessor, Boris Johnson, also took to Twitter to express his agreement that Ukraine's president should be allowed to address Eurovision. He reminded followers that the only reason the contest is not taking place in Ukraine is because of the brutal war unleashed by Russia.
In a subsequent Telegram post, Zelensky said he had spoken with Sunak and thanked him for providing Ukraine with Storm Shadow cruise missiles and other "indispensable military aid." The leaders also discussed other topics related to Ukraine’s national security.
"In particular, we need clear signals about Ukraine's future with NATO," Zelenskyy said.
On May 11, the European Broadcasting Union ruled that Zelenskyy had no permission to speak at 2023 Eurovision finals, as the show is supposed to be apolitical.
Last year, Ukrainian band Kalush Orchestra won the Eurovision Song Contest. The 2023 contest was scheduled to take place in Ukraine but was moved to Liverpool in the UK due to the ongoing war. The Eurovision Song Contest final will take place on May 13, featuring Ukrainian group Tvorchi performing their song "Heart of Steel."
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