The drama in Ukraine is ongoing: Suspilne comments on the initiatives to change the rules of “Vidbir 2026”, and rules out any possibility of changing them this year
This year, even before the first note was heard on the Ukrainian “Vidbir 2026”, the drama had already begun. The rules of the national selections have made a big stir, and the question of whether they are discriminatory against some artists has been raised by some people in the Ukrainian music industry.
One of the singers who has already submitted an application to “Vidbir 2026” is singer Olya Polyakova, who is considered one of the country’s favorites but stands at the center of another scandal surrounding the Ukrainian selection. She did participate in the selection in 2012, where she reached 8th place, but since then things have changed significantly.
The Ukrainian singer of Russian origin shared on her Instagram her decision to participate in “Vidbir 2026” and detailed her struggle to amend the law prohibiting artists who performed in Russia since 2014 from representing the country at Eurovision.
Polyakova, who claims that since 2015 she hasn’t returned to visit Russia at all, not even to meet her mother who still lives in Moscow, sent a letter to the Ukrainian national broadcaster Susplne, aiming to change the law, in which she wrote that as someone who lives, works, and pays taxes in Ukraine, and as someone who clearly chose the Ukrainian side in the conflict, she deserves a place in the competition to represent the country. She further argued that the law should be rewritten to suit the new reality in Ukraine, as now it’s clearer than ever who supports which side:
“I sincerely believe in fair, modern, and European choice. But the rules must evolve together with the country. We have all changed – our culture, our society, and our values. Therefore, it’s important that every artist who lives, works, and creates in Ukraine has an equal right to represent our country on the international stage”
Ukraine’s Suspilne has commented on Polyakova’s initiative, and even mentioned her personal name in a public Instagram post – an unusual step. The broadcaster has made it clear that the national selection rules cannot be changed after being approved and published, which already happened in September. Suspilne has repeated the rule declaring every artist who performed from 2014 in Crimea or the “Aggressor country” of Russia, and from 2022 in Belarus, is unable to participate in the Ukrainian national selection.
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What Else Awaits Us in Ukraine?
In about a week, the window of opportunity for sending songs will close, and then, based on the initial screening, the Longlist will be selected and invited to final auditions. By December 15th, the finalist list will be published, including nine artists, while the tenth contestant will be chosen through an online wildcard vote from among the six artists who didn’t qualify directly.
The final itself will take place in February 2026, and the winner will be determined by weighing public votes and judges’ opinions.
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 2026: This will be Ukraine’s 21st 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.
