The Ukrainian Foreign Ministry condemned the filmmaker, saying, “Culture must never be used to whitewash crimes or serve as a propaganda tool.”

The Ukrainian Foreign Ministry condemned Woody Allen for speaking virtually at a Russian film festival, calling his participation "a disgrace and an insult" to the victims of Russia's invasion of Ukraine.

Woody Allen said that while he believed the war in Ukraine was “appalling”, his participation in a Russian film festival was not insulting to the victims of the raging conflict. He was responding after the Ukrainian foreign ministry condemned his appearance as a “disgrace”.