Rishi Sunak is “disappointed” Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has not been allowed to address this year’s Eurovision, his spokesman says.
The organisers, the European Broadcasting Union (EBU), say it would breach its political impartiality.
But Downing Street said it would be “fitting” for Mr Zelensky to speak given Russia’s invasion of his country.
Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer is also calling for the Ukrainian leader to be allowed to make a speech.
Ukraine was meant to be hosting this year’s Eurovision, but it is taking place in Liverpool instead after Russia’s invasion last year.
It has been reported that Mr Zelensky wanted to make a video appearance at the contest’s final on Saturday, to an expected global audience of 160 million.
But in a statement on Thursday, the EBU said it had turned down a request from the Ukrainian president to address the event, despite his “laudable intentions”.
“The Eurovision Song Contest is an international entertainment show, and governed…
This article was written by and originally published on www.bbc.co.uk