(Photo: EBU Corinne Cumming)

The European Broadcasting Union (EBU) has said next year’s Eurovision Song Contest will not be held in Ukraine even though it won this year’s contest.

It said the decision was taken because of the ongoing war in Ukraine following the Russian invasion.

By tradition, the winner of the contest hosts the competition the following year and Ukraine’s public broadcaster UA:PBC was to have played host.

“Following objective analysis, the Reference Group, the ESC’s governing board, has with deep regret concluded that, given the current circumstances, the security and operational guarantees required for a broadcaster to host, organise and produce the Eurovision Song Contest under the ESC Rules cannot be fulfilled by UA:PBC,” the EBU said.

“The EBU would like to thank UA:PBC for their wholehearted cooperation and commitment in exploring all scenarios in the weeks since Kalush Orchestra’s win on 14 May in Turin and share their sadness and disappointment that next year’s Contest cannot be held in Ukraine.”

The EBU said it would now begin discussions with the BBC, as this year’s runner up, to potentially host the 2023 Eurovision Song Contest in the United Kingdom.

“It is our full intention that Ukraine’s win will be reflected in next year’s shows. This will be a priority for us in our discussions with the eventual hosts.”