Due to the security situation, the European Broadcasting Union (EBU) has decided that the Eurovision final cannot be held in the country in 2023.

Ukrainian authorities are not happy about this.

– We will demand that the decision be changed, because we are confident that we will be able to fulfill all the requirements. We demand further negotiations to hold Eurovision 2023 in Ukraine, Culture Minister Oleksandr Tkachenko said in a statement.

The EBU said on Friday that it had considered the possibility of hosting the competition in Ukraine together with broadcaster Suspilne movlennja.

– After an objective assessment, the Eurovision Song Contest concludes with deep regret because in view of the current circumstances, the safety and operational guarantees necessary for broadcasters to organize Eurovision according to the rules cannot be met, wrote the EBU in a pers conference.

It is tradition for the winning country of the Eurovision Song Contest to host the following year’s competition. Ukraine has hosted Eurovision twice before, in 2005 and 2017.

Ukraine won Eurovision this year with the song “Stefania”, performed by the Kalush Orchestra. The United Kingdom came in second with the song “Space Man” performed by Sam Ryder.

The EBU specifically wants England as the host country next year.

– The EBU will now hold talks with the BBC so that they could potentially host Eurovision in 2023 in the UK, the EBU further wrote.

– It is our intention that Ukraine’s victory will be reflected in next year’s event, the broadcasting union said.