The organizers of the Eurovision Song Contest are facing a series of demands to stop Russia from competing in this year's festival as well as there is a possibility that the festival will be canceled altogether.
Among the names calling for Russia's exclusion is the Ukrainian state broadcaster, AI: PBC. The chairwoman, Mykola Chernotytsky, wrote an open letter asking the EBU to exclude Russia from the 2022 Eurovision Song Contest.
"By doing so, the Russian side disregarded international law, the UN Charter, and violated the sovereignty and territorial integrity of the Ukrainian state within its internationally recognized borders," she wrote.
After Russia launched its military strike on Ukraine on Thursday, many began to suggest that the Eurosong should be canceled. But the European Broadcasting Union (EBU), which organizes the competition, issued a statement saying:
"Eurovision Song Contest is a non-political cultural event. However, the EBU is concerned about current events in Ukraine and will continue to monitor the situation closely. "
Also in a statement to Euronews, the EBU noted:
"All broadcasters and the EBU as a union are focused on doing our job for the public in difficult circumstances and will not hesitate to condemn any violation or violation of press freedom."