He pledged that a free Ukraine will host the competition next year.
The Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has said that Ukraine will host the Eurovision Song Contest next year as he shared a message of hope following his country’s victory.
Kalush Orchestra were crowned the winners of Eurovision last night in Turin, Italy, for their song Stefania, after a massive public vote put them at the top of the leaderboard with 631 points in total.
Reacting to the win, President Zelensky celebrated the victory and applauded Kalush Orchestra for their performance.
In a post on Instagram, he wrote: “Our courage impresses the world, our music conquers Europe! Next year Ukraine will host Eurovision!
“For the third time in its history. And I believe it won’t be the last time.
“We will do everything to ensure that one day the participants and guests of the Eurovision Song Contest will receive Ukrainian Mariupol. Free, peaceful, rebuilt!”
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He went on to congratulate Kalush Orchestra, and all the countries that voted for Ukraine.
He wrote: “Thank you for the victory of @Kalush.official and all those who gave their votes for us!
“I am sure that our victorious chord in the battle with the enemy is just around the corner. Glory to Ukraine!”
Following their performance in last night’s final, the band’s frontman Oleg Psiuk called for those trapped in the Mariupol steel mill to be freed.
He said: “Help Azovstal, right now.”
Afterwards, during a press conference, Psiuk told reporters that the band members will be heading back to Ukraine shortly, and pledged to help his country amid the Russian invasion.
He said: “We have a temporary authorisation to be here and it ends in two days and exactly in two days we are going to be back in Ukraine.
“It’s hard to say what exactly I am going to do, because this is the first time I win the Eurovision Song Contest, but like every Ukrainian, we are ready to fight as much as we can and go on until the end.”
