Context: The European Union is considering the appointment of a special representative to negotiate with Russia on the matter of Ukraine. According to a Politico report from October 21, 2026, the discussion intensified following a visit to Moscow by the U.S. president’s special envoy, Steve Witkoff. European countries fear that Washington and the Kremlin will agree on terms for ending the war that exclude them and that are detrimental to Kyiv. Possible candidates include European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen; European Council President António Costa; and Kaja Kallas, EU foreign policy chief. Alexander Stubb, Finland’s president, is also being discussed because of his contacts with Donald Trump and his country’s experience dealing with Russia.
On October 15, 2026, another episode of the program Azaryonok. Napryamuyu was published on YouTube. In the episode, Ryhor Azaronak suggested judging the European Union system by its symbols.
“Always look at the basics: the coat of arms, the anthem, and the flag. Take Ukraine, for example. For 30 years, they sang ‘Shche ne vmerla,’ that is, ‘we haven’t died yet, but our enemies will die, etc. And look where it all led. They tell us the European Union is about economic integration and unification. It’s an ideological union. ... Listen to their anthem. They sing it to Beethoven’s sonata, saying, ‘We have reached the pinnacle of human development. Only our truth is correct. Only our standards are correct. Only our system of government is correct.’ Everything else boils down to how much you’re like us — or not.”
Indeed, Beethoven’s music is used as the anthem of the European Union. However, it is not a sonata; it is a melody from the final movement of Beethoven’s Symphony No. 9, “Ode to Joy.” Most importantly, the official EU anthem has no lyrics at all. As the European Union’s website explains, it consists entirely of music. Consequently, Azaronak’s statements about the peak of human development and the only correct form of government are not included.
Beethoven used Friedrich Schiller’s 1785 poem “Ode to Joy” when composing his Ninth Symphony. However, the poem’s content does not align with the host’s retelling. The text speaks of the brotherhood and unity of humanity. Its lines include, “All men become brothers” and “This kiss is for all the world.” The text does not make any claims about the superiority of European values or the European political system over other systems.
