Eurovision 2023 should be held in Ukraine, Boris Johnson says

Boris Johnson, British Prime Minister

© APA | Boris Johnson, British Prime Minister

# 18 June 2022 16:54 (UTC +04:00)

Boris Johnson has said Ukraine deserves to host next year’s Eurovision song contest and that he hopes it will be able to do so despite the ongoing war with Russia, APA reports citing Guardian.

The BBC is in talks with the European Broadcasting Union (EBU) about hosting the event in the UK, which came second in the 2022 contest after the body ruled it could not go ahead in Ukraine as planned.

Speaking to reporters at RAF Brize Norton after returning from an unannounced visit to Kyiv, Johnson said he believed it should be possible for the contest to go ahead there.

“The Ukrainians won the Eurovision song contest. I know we had a fantastic entry, I know we came second and I’d love it to be in this country,” he said.

“But the fact is that they won and they deserve to have it. I believe that they can have it and I believe that they should have it. I believe Kyiv or any other safe Ukrainian city would be a fantastic place to have it.”

Johnson’s comments come after Ukraine’s culture minister, Oleksandr Tkachenko, said the decision to move to Eurovision undermined his country after it was invaded by Russia. “Is it fair to take it away from the country that is fighting for democracy on behalf of the civilized world?” he asked.

Ukraine has insisted it can host the song contest safely on its own territory and says it will oppose plans to relocate it to the UK.

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