- Music
- 09 May 22
Watch footage of the performance in Kyiv below
U2's Bono and The Edge performed a special concert in a metro station in Kyiv, Ukraine, yesterday – after being invited to the country personally by Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy.
“Your president leads the world in the cause of freedom right now…" Bono told the crowd of approximately 100 people, as reported by Al Jazeera. "The people of Ukraine are not just fighting for your own freedom, you’re fighting for all of us who love freedom.
“We pray that you will enjoy some of that peace soon.”
The setlist featured a cover of the Ben E. King song 'Stand By Me', as well as U2 classics like 'Sunday Bloody Sunday', 'Vertigo', 'Desire', 'Angel of Harlem', 'With or Without You', 'Pride (In The Name Of Love)', 'Walk On' and 'One'.
The pair were also joined at various points throughout the performance by Ukrainian soldiers and musicians.
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In his daily video address, Zelenskyy said he was "grateful" to the band "for supporting our people and drawing even more attention to the need to help our people."
Taking to Twitter, the band revealed that Zelenskyy invited them "to perform in Kyiv as a show of solidarity with the Ukrainian people."
"...so that's what we've come to do," they continued.
President @ZelenskyyUa invited us to perform in Kyiv as a show of solidarity with the Ukrainian people and so that’s what we’ve come to do. -- Bono and The Edge #StandWithUkraine
— U2 (@U2) May 8, 2022
During the trip, Bono and The Edge also visited Bucha, where hundreds of bodies were found in a mass grave in March.
And here are Bono and Edge from U2 in Bucha.
Bono has been involved in charitable activities in different parts of the world for decades, today he saw with his own eyes the consequences of the Russian invasion for Bucha. pic.twitter.com/wGNPSxUwAE— Free Ukraine (@Mihoflowersy) May 8, 2022
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Thousands of people have been killed since Russia launched their invasion of Ukraine in February, while over 12 million people have been forced to flee their homes.
Back in April, Bono and The Edge took part in Global Citizen's #StandUpForUkraine social media rally – sharing an acoustic version of 'Walk On'.
"The brave people of Ukraine are fighting for their freedom – and for ours – in the face of unspeakable violence and an unjust invasion," the Irish band wrote in an accompanying statement on social media. "More than 4 million people, mostly women and children, have had to flee for their lives -- a population nearly the size of Ireland. World leaders must stand up and stand by Ukranians now ... those who are fighting and those who have fled ... and stand with refugees everywhere who have been forced from their homes and their lands. #StandUpForUkraine"
Watch footage of U2's performance in Kyiv below: