The current title-holders of the Eurovision Song Contest, Ukraine, have announced the rules of their National Selection for the Eurovision Song Contest 2023 on their official Eurovision social media accounts. The broadcaster will accept song submissions from today on, until the 15th of October 2022. Applications for participation in the National Final are accepted through the form on www.eurovision.ua.

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The following rules for the Ukrainian National Final have been announced:

• • An online voting will determine the composition of the jury for the National Final and also the Ukrainian jury for the Eurovision Song Contest 2023
  • Both solo performers and bands, already existing or specificially created for this event, are allowed to participate
  • Songs can be submitted in any language, except the language of the aggressor state
  • Personal participation in listening to the longlisted participants is mandatory
  • The final of the National Selection will be held in December 2022 in Kyiv and broadcasted on Suspilne TV channels and digital platforms.

Two of these rules are particularly interesting. First of all, the relatively early final of the national final in December 2022, since the past few editions of Vidbir have always decided their winner in February. The Albanian Festivali i Këngës is usually the first National Final of the Eurovision season in December and often the only one held this early. So this may result in Ukraine being one of the first countries to have their song for the Eurovision Song Contest 2023 ready.

The other rule, that makes a very clear statement, is that all languages are allowed except for the one of the aggressor state, which is obviously Russian.

Kalush Orchestra have won the Eurovision Song Contest 2022 in Turin for Ukraine, setting an impressive new record in the televoting with 28 sets of 12 points from the participating countries, resulting in 439 televote points in total and giving them a lead of 200 points to Moldova, who finished second with the European televoters. Due to the ongoing war in the country, Ukraine will sadly be unable to host the Eurovision Song Contest in 2023. However, their chosen entry will still be directly qualified to the final as the title defender and the EBU has promised to put Ukrainian influences in the production of next year’s Eurovision Song Contest!