Aachen honors Zelensky and Ukraine
In Aachen, the prestigious Charlemagne Prize is awarded to President Volodimir Zelensky and the Ukrainian people. The prize has been awarded every year since 1950 to people committed to European unity. Until the end it is not clear whether Zelensky himself will be present to accept the award. The prize is also intended to support Ukraine in the negotiations for accession to the European Union.
The city center of Aachen was cordoned off on Sunday and very strict safety regulations apply. A large police force is on the move, not least because at least six demonstrations between 10:00 and 17:00 have been announced in Aachen. According to the police, hundreds of demonstrators are demanding an end to arms deliveries to Ukraine on Sunday. Among them are both peace activists and pro-Russian protesters.
The ceremony in the Aachen Town Hall starts at 3.30 pm and will last for around one and a half hours. Zelenski or his representative will be addressed by the president of the European Commission Ursula von der Leyen, the German chancellor Olaf Scholz and the Polish prime minister Mateusz Morawiecki.
The hometown of Ukrainian Eurovision participants was bombed
The hometown of Ukrainian Eurovision Song Contest participants was bombed by Russia on Saturday night shortly before the group began their performance in Liverpool. The Tvorchi duo reported it and confirmed it to the BBC.
In the western Ukrainian city of Ternopil, several Russian missiles struck on Saturday evening. Two people were injured, the head of the regional government told the BBC. The mayor of Ternopil confirms that the warehouses were damaged in the attack.
Ten minutes before their Liverpool Arena performance, pop duo Tvorchi took to Instagram that their hometown was under attack. They later confirmed that: “Ternopil is the name of our hometown, which was bombed by Russia as we sang on the Eurovision stage about our hearts of steel, intransigence and willpower.”
Air-raid alarms across large parts of Ukraine at the start of the Eurovision final
Air raid sirens were heard across much of Ukraine on Saturday night. Alarms went off simultaneously with the start of the Eurovision Song Contest final in Liverpool.
The Eurovision Song Contest was won by Ukraine last year. According to the official rules of the Eurovision Song Contest, the event is organized every year by the country that won the previous year. However, due to the war with Russia, it would be too dangerous to hold the song festival in Ukraine. For this reason the event was moved to the UK, which finished second last year.