FIFA has reportedly shot down a request by Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky to share a message of world peace before the kickoff at the FIFA World Cup 2022 final on Sunday.
Ukraine is in war with Russia since February 2022.
According to a CNN report, Zelensky’s office offered to appear in a video link to fans in the stadium in Qatar, ahead of the Argentina vs France game and was surprised by the negative response.
“We thought FIFA wanted to use its platform for the greater good,” a source told CNN.
However, talks between Ukraine and the sport’s governing body are still underway, the source added.
Kyiv has repeatedly tried to use major world events, regardless of their theme, to keep the global spotlight on the war in Ukraine.
Zelensky has appeared via video at the Group of 20 Nations summit to the Grammys and the Cannes Film Festival.
He’s also done interviews and conversations with journalists as well as with famous entertainers, including Sean Penn and David Letterman in order to rally support for Ukraine.
