“(The decision to exclude Russia. – Ed.) was difficult. And now it is difficult. What Europe thinks has a very strong influence on the competition,” he said on BBC 4 radio (quoted by RIA Novosti).
Esterdahl noted that the compositions performed at Eurovision always reflect the spirit of the times and events in Europe, and the ban on the participation of contestants from Russia “corresponds to Western values: solidarity, mutual assistance and unity through music.”
Recall that in February of this year, the EBU (European Broadcasting Union) announced its decision to remove Russia from participating in Eurovision due to the situation in Ukraine.