Volodymyr Zelensky he did not show up at Sanremo but sent his message through ambassador Yaroslav Melnyk.
Dear participants, organizers and guests of the festival! For more than seven decades, the Sanremo festival is heard all over the world. You hear her voice, her beauty, her magic, her victory. Every year on the shores of the Ligurian Sea the song wins. Culture and art win. Music wins! And this is one of the best creations of human civilization. Unfortunately, for all the time of its existence, mankind creates not only beautiful things. And unfortunately today in my country shots and explosions are heard. But Ukraine will definitely win this war. He will win together with the free world. It will win thanks to the voice of freedom, democracy and, of course, culture.
I thank the Italian people and their leaders who, together with Ukraine, bring this victory closer. I wish success to all finalists and from the bottom of my heart I want to invite this year's winners to Kyiv, Ukraine on Victory Day. On the Day of our Victory! Today this Victory is created and obtained under extremely difficult conditions. Thanks to our defenders! Thanks to them courage, indomitability, invincibility. Hundreds of songs have already been written about this, and you'll be hearing one today. And I'm sure that one day we will all hear our victory song together!
Best regards,
President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy
On the controversies of the previous days the CEO of Rai Carlo Fuortes he told the press: “In total agreement between Rai and the embassy, we organized the speech read by Amadeus. The reconstructions have been as many as the controversies which, however, as the president of the Toti region tells me, are inherent in the Festival, here one lives of extraordinary interest that reverberates for the country. There has been talk of censorship and conditioning on the text, they are all unfounded reconstructions, therefore, to restore the truth of the facts, the ambassador himself who will also be our guest on the final evening will explain to us the nature of the message".
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The Ukrainian ambassador in Italy, Yaroslav Melnyksi he is satisfied that the message of the Ukrainian leader has reached the Sanremo Festival: “Supreme voice heard from all over Italy. Music, beauty, talent, find their ideal cradle in the city of flowers. And it is precisely the majesty of music that gives us the opportunity to be heard by millions of Italians. This opportunity is an occasion to thank all the Italian people for the support we have received since the early days of the full-scale war unleashed by Russia. You have opened your doors, your homes, your hearts. We appreciate this closeness in this moment among the toughest in our history. We address a particular appreciation to Italian artists, culture cannot stay out of light entertainment and at the same time from all the themes that affect life. The Festival therefore became a platform to raise crucial political, ethical and social questions. We listened to Benigni, Ferragni, the Iranian activist Pegah Moshir. We appreciate the support for the struggle, for values, for common rights. We need your support for peace to return to European territory. I hope that tonight's message will be heard by all Italian citizens"
The festival is visible in Russia on RaiPlay in open and free live streaming all over the world. In Russia, the live coverage of the festival is covered by the Hot Bird satellite signal, which also includes the live broadcast of Rail.
The premier Melons, on Friday in Brussels, had already closed the controversy by answering a question on the possibility that Zelensky's absence at Ariston had "alienated" relations with Kiev: "First of all, our relations are not alienated, the question seems to me secondary in terms of international politics“. To then conclude: "We are more passionate about these issues than more serious things, but I don't think that Sanremo's role outside national borders has the same impact it has in our internal debate".