This year’s Eurovision Song Contest winner, Ukraine, will not host the competition in 2023; instead, the chance will be offered to the United Kingdom, organizers the European Broadcast Union (EBU) said in a statement Friday.
Ukrainian folk-rap group Kalush Orchestra triumphed last month with their track « Stefania », surfing a wave of goodwill from European nations to clinch the country’s third win at the annual event. The competition marked the first major cultural event in which Ukraine had taken part since Russia invaded the country in February, and many in the audience waved Ukraine’s blue and yellow national flag during the evening. Traditionally, it would be Ukraine’s job as winner to host the upcoming song contest. However, the EBU said that following a « full assessment and feasibility study » it had concluded that it will not be feasible for Ukraine to host, because of the ongoing war.
