Preparations for Eurovision 2026 are underway, and in Ukraine the excitement is palpable—numerous singers have expressed interest in representing the nation, while former stars are vocal about their own ambitions and opinions. Who will represent Ukraine at the next Eurovision?
After the strong showing by Ziferblat at Eurovision 2025, Ukraine’s music scene is abuzz with speculation and excitement. Ukrainian performers are already busy preparing for the coming year, and the local press is actively covering the mounting drama. Several previous representatives have announced whether they intend to return—or not—and have not held back in sharing their thoughts about their fellow artists and who might be worthy of representing Ukraine on the Eurovision stage. Notably, Ukraine has yet to officially confirm its participation in Eurovision 2026.
Katerina Pavlenko, who represented Ukraine in 2021 alongside the band Go_A and recently began performing solo under the name Monokate, has not ruled out a possible Eurovision comeback. However, she notes she is uncertain about returning as her musical direction has changed: “He or she should be a great and experienced artist with the right song.” She also remarked that many artists who have represented Ukraine at Eurovision, in her view, lacked sufficient experience.
Elena Topolya—known as Alyosha, who performed “Sweet People” for Ukraine in Eurovision 2010—states definitively that she will not return to Eurovision right now. In her view: “Ukraine should be represented by a powerful female artist with a strong and meaningful song, like the one I had—but I will not take part this year.”
In contrast, Khayat, who has competed in Ukraine’s national selection several times, most recently in 2025, admits he is interested in returning: “For me, it all depends on the song.” He remains cautious and has not confirmed his participation.
Drevo, a contestant in the 2024 Ukrainian selection, said that in his opinion, the singer who beat him that year—Jerry Heil—should return to Eurovision, adding he believes she can secure a good result for Ukraine.
Ukraine at Eurovision 2025
“Bird of Pray” is the name of the song that was performed by Ziferblat, representing Ukraine in Eurovision 2025. Ukraine qualified for the final from the first semi-final of the contest and finished 9th overall with 218 points. Ukraine finished 6th in tele-votes and 14th in jury votes.
The Ukrainian result is their worst one since 2018.
Eurovision 2025: This was Ukraine’s 20th participation in the Eurovision Song Contest. Ukraine joined the competition in 2003 and has won it three times. Ukraine’s last victory was in Eurovision 2022 with the song “Stefania” performed by Kalush Orchestra.
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Ofek Jerassi is an Israeli reporter, editor, content creator, and commentator, specializing in the Eurovision Song Contest. He has developed his extensive expertise since childhood, becoming a close follower of the contest. For the past three years, he has served as a writer and editor for EuroMix—Israel’s largest Eurovision website and one of the world’s leading platforms in the field, with over 1.5 million users annually.
Ofek covered Eurovision 2025 on-site in Basel from the press center in the host city, providing EuroMix readers with firsthand experiences, professional analysis, and exclusive reactions from the audience, artists, and experts. His in-depth knowledge and broad familiarity with the Eurovision world are evident in every article, ensuring reliable, professional, and up-to-date content.
In his personal life, Ofek is a medic and avid traveler. He writes out of a genuine love for Eurovision, placing strong emphasis on credibility, professional commentary, and presenting a diverse range of opinions.
