The Mayor of Toulouse has written to the conductor Tugan Sokhiev asking him to say a few words on the Ukraine situation before his next concert with the Orchestre National du Capitole de Toulouse on March 18 and 25.

The mayor noted that Toulouse is a twin city of Kyiv and he would like the Russian conductor to condemn the war that Vladimir Putin began last week on Feb. 24, 2022.

However, conductor Sokhiev has not responded to the letter and confirmed that he will conduct his upcoming concerts.

Sokhiev is the Music Director of the Bolshoi Theatre, a circumstance that puts him in a conflict of interest.

He is the latest Russian artist to be asked to make a statement after Valery Gergiev and Anna Netrebko have seen all their Western engagements canceled.