Vietnam’s representative, Duc Phuc, won this Saturday at the international music festival of Intervision, the alternative of traditional values to Eurovision that drives the Kremlin.

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Vietnam won the contest and presenters announced that Saudi Arabia will host the event next year in 2026. The winner was chosen by an international jury, following a confidential internal rules of procedure, and the results were communicated only to the presenter for official announcement.

The Vietnamese scored 422 points, while Kyrgyzstan, represented by The Nomad Trio, scored 373 points in second place, and Dana Al Meer, from Qatar, scored 369 in third place.

In February 2025, Russian President Vladimir Putin decreed the holding of the Intervision 2025 Song Festival in Moscow to foster cultural dialogue. Dmitry Chernyshenko was appointed as chairman of the organizing committee and Sergei Kirichenko to head the supervisory board.

The government facilitated the delivery of free visas and allocated 750 million rubles for financing, managed by the fund Traditions of Art. Putin stressed that the contest will demonstrate the power of art to unite people, promoting values such as respect for national identity and inter-ethnic ties.

Representatives from 23 nations will compete in the Live Arena, including countries from Europe, Africa, Latin America, the Arab world, Asia and North America. There is great expectation for the Latin American performers, especially by the Cuban Zulema Iglesias, who opened the competition with her song Guaguancó.

The American contestant of Intervision, Vassy, canceled its participation at the last moment because of “political pressure”, as announced live by the presenters of the international competition that promotes the Kremlin as an alternative to Eurovision.

“For reasons beyond the organizers and the US delegation, due to unprecedented political pressure from the Australian government, singer Vassy (American and Australian citizen) will not be able to finally perform in the contest,” reported the presenters.

In an initial recorded speech in which Russian President Vladimir Putin said he was sure that Intervision “will be one of the most well-known and esteemed contests worldwide”.

“Russia has always been and remains a country open to communication and creative cooperation. We value our traditions and respect those of others”, said the president who has previously repeatedly criticized the use of the national language in Ukraine, which Russia invaded in 2022 and for which it was expelled from the Eurovision contest and internationally sanctioned.

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