Ukraine withdraws: “More important things than Eurovision”

Ukraine will not participate in Vienna. The Ukranian national broadcaster NTU has just released a press message stating that the country withdraws from the upcoming Eurovision Song Contest.

“Unstable financial, political situation, military aggression from the east, the annexation of Ukrainian territories – all of these processes have forced us to focus on our basic duties,” the press release states. According to NTU, the current situation of the country requires a break of one year.

In 2016, the broadcaster hopes to be able to join the Eurovision family again. “We look back on our Eurovision history with pride and inspiration. But we cannot join a competition on half-force. If we participate, we are in it to win it. This year, this is unfortunately not possible.”

Ukraine joined Eurovision in 2003 and has never missed an edition since. It is one of the six countries that has never failed to qualify for the Eurovision Grand Final. Last year, Maria Yaremchuk reached a 6th place for Ukraine with ‘Tick Tock’.