Russia was banned from participating in 2022 Eurovision Song Contest due to its continued military aggression against Ukraine.
The European Broadcasting Union released a statement on February 25th saying that it had concerns that, given the unimaginable crisis in Ukraine this winter, including the addition of a Russian entry to the Contest, the contest would be discredit. The EBU spent time consulting its members before making the decision.
EBU stated, “We are committed to protecting the value of a cultural contest which promotes international communication and understanding, brings people together, celebrates diversity via music, and unites Europe onto one stage.”
Eurovision Song Contest’s governing board made the decision based on the “rules of the event” and the EBU values.
You can find the complete statement of EBU here here.