Conchita Wurst: I want to meet with Vladimir Putin
Eurovision winner Conchita Wurst has called for a meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin.
The Austrian drag diva took home the crown this year, to the dismay of some conservative countries.
One Russian MP said Wurst’s Eurovision victory signified “the end of Europe”, and following her victory, Russia developed plans to revive a Soviet era Eurovision rival as a ‘family friendly’ alternative.
When asked about Russia by the Austrian Kurier, Conchita Wurst said: “I absolutely [want a gig] there. I have many fans in Russia. This is incredibly beautiful because it shows me that many Russians do not agree with the decisions of their government.”
She added: “I wouldn’t refuse a meeting with Putin… I would like to spend a week with Putin, so I can better understand him.
“What does it mean to be Vladimir Putin? What pressure is he under? At the end of the day, Putin just wants to be respected.
“This desire for respect unites Putin with minorities.”
It would not be the first time she has met a world leader – having performed for both the European Parliament and the United Nations, and meeting UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon.
However, according to RT, Putin’s press secretary Dmitry Peskov “laughed off” the idea that the President would meet with the singer – dismissing it out of hand.
The singer – real name Tom Neuwirth – is not wrong when she says she had fans in the country.
Wurst came third in the Russian Eurovision televote – only behind two former Soviet countries – but mysteriously ranked lower with the country’s professional jury.
