Zelenskyy's office denies requesting to appear on Eurovision

The Ukrainian president’s office has denied contacting the organisers of the Eurovision Song Contest with the offer of Volodymyr Zelenskyy's online performance during the finals or at any other stage of the contest.

In a post on Facebook, presidential press secretary Sergii Nykyforov said such an appeal has never been made. 

Earlier, the organisers of the Eurovision Song Contest said President Zelenskyy would not be allowed to deliver a video message during the final on May 13, as there are “strict rules” in place that prohibit the making of “political or similar statements.”

The Times wrote that a request by the Ukrainian leader to make a surprise video appearance during the final, in which he was expected to urge the global audience of 160 million to continue their support for his country in the face of Russian aggression, was turned down by organisers. 

The European Broadcasting Union (EBU), the alliance of more than 100 broadcasters which oversees the contest with the BBC acting as this year’s host, is concerned that an appearance by the president risks politicising the event.

“The Eurovision Song Contest is an international entertainment show and governed by strict rules and principles which have been established since its creation. As part of these, one of the cornerstones of the contest is the non-political nature of the event,” a spokesman said.

“This principle prohibits the possibility of making political or similar statements as part of the contest. The request by Mr Zelenskyy to address the audience at the Eurovision Song Contest, whilst made with laudable intentions, regrettably cannot be granted as it would be against the rules of the event.”

The EBU highlighted the decision to ensure that the BBC to feature the country’s music, culture, and creativity strongly throughout the two semi-finals and the final. “No fewer than 11 Ukrainian artists, including last year’s winners Kalush Orchestra, will be performing,” the spokesman said.