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Updated June 18th, 2022 at 19:31 IST

Boris Johnson asserts Ukraine should hold the Eurovision 2023 show

UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson said on Saturday that Ukraine "can and should" host the 2023 Eurovision Song Contest, insisting the situation would be "fine" by next year.

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UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson said on Saturday that Ukraine "can and should" host the 2023 Eurovision Song Contest, insisting the situation would be "fine" by next year.

Speaking at the RAF Brize Norton air base after a surprise visit to the Ukrainian capital, Johnson said "Kyiv or any other safe Ukrainian city would be a fantastic place" to host the contest, because the Ukrainian people "deserve it."

He said Kyiv was "far more lively" than it had been a few weeks ago and that people were returning to  streets and cafes.

The European Broadcasting Union has said it will start talks with the BBC on possibly holding next year’s event in the U.K. after concluding it can’t be held in Ukraine, despite them winning the public vote. The event is usually hosting by the previous year's winner.

In a statement, the EBU said Ukraine's public broadcaster UA:PBC did not meet the security and operational requirements to host.

Ukrainian public officials and artists condemned the decision.

The Ukrainian folk band Kalush Orchestra won the 2022 contest, buoying Ukrainian spirits. The UK's Sam Ryder topped the jury rankings but was overtaken by Ukraine in the public vote.

Johnson said he would love for the UK to host the annual music competition, but that it wouldn't be right for the European Broadcasting Union to prevent Ukraine from hosting.

"I know we had a fantastic weekend and I know we came second, and I'd love it to be in this country," Johnson said. "But the fact is, (the Ukrainians) won and they deserve to have it, and I believe that they can have it and I believe that they should have it."

Invading Russian forces have switched their focus to the eastern Donbas region after a series of setbacks early in the war, including the failure to seize Ukraine's capital.

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Published June 18th, 2022 at 19:31 IST

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