FM Kuleba sharply criticizes decision to reject Zelensky’s speech request at Oscars ceremony

The decision not to invite Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky to deliver a speech during the Oscars ceremony, where one of the leading Best Foreign Language Film nominees is an anti-war picture is highly hypocritical.

The relevant statement was made by Ukrainian Foreign Affairs Minister Dmytro Kuleba in an interview with Germany’s BILD am SONNTAG, an Ukrinform correspondent reports.

“I think if ‘All Quiet on the Western Front’ receives an Oscar as the Best Foreign Language Film, while President Zelensky, who is in the war, leading the country, fighting in the biggest war in Europe since World War II, is not allowed to speak at the Oscars recemony, you will not find a better example of the hypocrisy of the film industry’s top executives and producers,” Kuleba told.

Kuleba emphasized that he was not questioning the quality of the film itself.

“I’m just saying folks, when you’re about to award a film about war and you don’t realize that when you’re drinking champagne and wearing nice dresses and diamonds, someone else doesn’t want to hear a real war story, happening here and now, then something is wrong with you,” Kuleba explained.

A reminder that, for the second time, the Academy Awards has rejected President Zelensky’s speech request at the Oscars ceremony. This is causing a stir and discussions, including whether or not it may be related to skin color issues.