The Ukrainian group became the winner of the European Song Festival. The European public is making it clear which side it is on in the war, says DW journalist Andreas Brenner Ukraine won the Eurovision Song Contest (ESC) for the third time this Saturday (14.05). The country is currently experiencing its worst invasion since World War II, and yet it entered the music competition. It’s as unbelievable as throwing one of the biggest parties in Europe when a brutal war ravages the middle of the continent.

The victory of Ukraine saved Eurovision from this dilemma and took a clear political position. The Kalush Orchestra performed at Eurovision. The Ukrainians staged a fantastic performance in Turin, which was awarded the highest rating by the audience. We will never know if Stefania would have won the competition under other circumstances. In any case, the expert jury put Ukraine “only” in fourth place.

But the public had no other choice. Firstly, Ukraine needs all kinds of support, as Oleg Psyuk, leader of the group, noted. Secondly, Eurovision stands for peaceful coexistence, self-determination and the joy of life – all that is now trying to destroy the army of Russian President Vladimir Putin.

ESC has never been politically indifferent

The votes for Ukraine sent a clear message to Russia: Europe and fellow Eurovision entrant Australia will never accept war. It was a political and correct decision. In any case, the contest has never been politically indifferent. His own creation in 1956 brought to the stage countries that 12 years earlier fought each other in World War II. It was political. The first German victory in the competition in 1982 with Nicole’s “Ein bisschen Frieden” (“Little World”) created a sensation at the time and in the peace movement.

The fall of the Iron Curtain opened the way for ESC to Eastern Europe. On several occasions, political disputes arose between the participants. As well as Russia and Ukraine. In 2016, the victory of Ukrainian Jamala in Stockholm with the song 1944 showed which side Europe was on after the annexation of Crimea.

Russia has no place in the ESC

In 1944, the Crimean Tatars were massively deported from the peninsula on the orders of Stalin. Unlike in 1944, Stefania does not hide any political messages, which are actually prohibited by the rules of the competition. Stefania is a mother’s love song that mixes folk and rap in Ukrainian. Yet another example of the multifaceted Ukrainian culture and identity that Putin constantly denies exists.

With its support for Ukraine, Eurovision showed that the country belongs to the European family. The organizer of the festival, the European Broadcasting Union (EBU), regarded the calls to help Ukraine as a humanitarian gesture – well aware of the feelings that the war in Ukraine arouses among participants and Europeans.

There is no place for Russia in this family. After pressure from several EBU members, the country was eliminated from the competition after invading Ukraine. To return to the festival, Russia needs to mentally “de-Putinize”. This will take years, as the rejection of universal European values ​​is deeply rooted in Russian society.

However, the clear political position of Eurovision does not mean that the competition can be instrumentalized by politicians. Eurovision fans are smart enough not to be patronized by politicians. They make their own political decisions. The free spirit of Eurovision is also the key to its success and popularity not only among the fans.

Respect for Ukraine – and in the next Eurovision

And if you laugh at the Norwegian “wolves”, the exaggerated emotions of some ballads, and the Serbian artist who washed her hands on stage, then okay. Fun is part of Saturday night. This could eventually end quickly, as the Russian attack showed. This invasion robbed many Ukrainians of the enjoyment of Eurovision. It’s hard to imagine them enjoying the evening as relaxed as the Spaniards, Italians and Poles.

The victory of the Kalush orchestra also has a bitter taste. The winning country will host the next Eurovision next year. This seems impossible with the current destruction of Ukraine, even if the war ends soon and Russia stops bombing Ukrainian cities.

Another country is likely to host the next Eurovision Song Contest, possibly the United Kingdom, which came in second. The EBU will find a solution. But she must respect the performance of Ukraine, as the audience of Eurovision 2022 did.

Andreas Brenner, correspondent for DW. The text reflects the personal opinion of the author, not necessarily DW.