Minister of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine Dmitry Kuleba, in an interview with the Bombardier YouTube channel, answered questions regarding the participation of Ukrainian athletes in competitions to which Russians are allowed.
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– The Olympics are ahead, and we have a position that is not yet fully clear about what we are doing, because the Russians also have a neutral status – they go, they don’t go. It seems to me that this is the wrong decision – not to speak where there are Russians, because in this way we are refusing platforms where we can promote our theses. What do you think about this?
– Controversial issue. Why do all artists refuse to participate in any joint events with Russians? Why even Tchaikovsky’s music – and where is Tchaikovsky and where is Putin – but even Tchaikovsky’s music was excluded from the repertoires, and this causes respect from everyone, and everything is fine. Why do we have a different approach towards athletes?
– I will immediately oppose you with your own case. Elina Svitolina plays with a Russian woman, wins, essentially breaks the law – you congratulate her on this victory.
– I understand. By the way, one person called me and said: “Dmitry, look, we are here, like, condemning, and you are congratulating”. I honestly said that I recognize that we are suffering here due to the lack of uniform rules.
I just want to make it clear: I am for uniform rules.. Because tomorrow some Ukrainian writer will take part in a discussion with a Russian writer, and this Ukrainian artist will be mixed with crap by our own people for the fact that how could you?
It’s a mystery to me why athletes have one attitude, but people and artists have a different attitude.. I don’t have perfect answers to all the questions, so I’ll say: it’s a mystery to me why this is so. Therefore, if a Ukrainian wins, I still rejoice at the Ukrainian victory, because I believe that we have the right to rejoice at Ukrainian victories. But it is a fact that there are questions.