Zelenskyy Announces Plan To Hold Next Year’s Eurovision In A Peaceful And Rebuilt Mariupol
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has announced that the country will do its utmost to hold the 2023 Eurovision Song Contest in Mariupol, a port city that has suffered extensive damage by Russian forces.
“Our courage impresses the world, our music conquers Europe,” Zelenskyy said on Telegram after Ukraine’s Eurovision victory was confirmed last night. “Ukraine will host Eurovision next year for the third time in its history, and I believe it won’t be the last.”
“We will do our best to one day host the participants and guests of Eurovision in Ukrainian Mariupol. Free, peaceful, rebuilt.”
“Thank you for winning, Kalush Orchestra, and everyone who voted for us. I am sure that our victorious chord in the battle with the enemy is not far off.”
Kalush Orchestra won the Eurovision last night after securing a record number of televote points, in what has widely been interpreted as a continent-wide display of solidarity to the wartorn country.
After their performance, the band’s frontman Oleh Psiuk made an impassioned plea to free Ukrainian fighters who are still trapped beneath the Avostal steel plant in Mariupol, which Russian forces have besieged.
“Help Azovstal, right now,” he pleaded.
The European Broadcasting Union, which bans Eurovision performers and broadcasters from making political statements, confirmed that no action will be taken against the band.
“We understand the deep feelings around Ukraine at this moment and believe the comments of the Kalush Orchestra and other artists expressing support for the Ukrainian people to be humanitarian rather than political in nature,” the EBU said.
Ukraine’s victory came on the same day that Ukrainian officials warned that the Kremlin plans to hold a referendum in Mariupol on whether the city should become part of Russia.
“We have some information that the Russian authorities are preparing a referendum and could even call it tomorrow, but we don’t know yet if this is the case,” Petro Andryushchenko told The Observer. “But we see lots of integration of Mariupol into the Russian system, the education system, the banking system.”
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