Broadcasting to the West: Ukraine and Cultural Diplomacy at the Eurovision

Since its Eurovision debut in 2003, Ukraine’s presence at the contest has come to signify far more than participation in a music competition. It has emerged as a major platform of cultural diplomacy through which Ukrainian artists project the country’s voice to Europe and the wider West, transforming performance into a powerful medium for expressing identity, urgency, and presence in an international dialogue. At key historical moments, Ukrainian entries carried the echoes of revolution, war, and national struggle, functioning as a cultural loudspeaker through which messages shaped by crisis reached broad transnational audiences.

This lecture explores how Ukraine’s Eurovision appearances draw political attention and are often interpreted through the lens of wider European crises, despite the contest’s formal commitment to political neutrality. It examines how Ukrainian performances resonate with entries from other countries and with broader public debates, bringing multiple urgent themes onto a shared stage and generating visibility, response, and forms of international dialogue. It also analyzes how digital platforms extend these performances beyond the event itself, amplifying their circulation and shaping their cultural and political reception.