The request of the President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyi to convey a message of peace before the start of the final of the FIFA World Cup in Qatar on Sunday, he was rejected by FIFA representatives. In response, the president’s administration criticized FIFA’s decision, which, in its opinion, had lost its understanding.

The administration of Ukraine criticizes FIFA’s decision

The video, recorded in English, was meant to be “a call for peace, not a political message” and was distributed independently at FIFA’s discretion.

“Qatar supported President Zelenskyi’s initiative, but FIFA blocked the initiative. These are not subjective statements, political signals or accusations. “FIFA should not be afraid of words of peace, in celebration of football, which symbolizes peace,” the office of the President of Ukraine said, CNN reports.

Message of President Volodymyr Zelenskyi

In the recording provided to CNN, Zelenskyi says that football is meant to unite the world and calls for a “World Cup, not a world war.”

“This World Cup has once again proven that different countries and nationalities can decide who is stronger in a fair game, not in war, on a green football field, not on a red battlefield,” the Ukrainian president says in the video.