U2's Bono, Edge Hold Surprise Concert in Kyiv To Express Support for Ukrainians Fighting for Freedom

Bono and The Edge of the legendary rock band U2 held a 40-minute concert in a subway station in Ukraine's capital of Kyiv on Sunday to show support for Ukrainians fighting for their country's freedom.

In a tweet, Bono and The Edge said that Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky invited them to perform in Kyiv.

"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," U2s frontman and lead guitarist posted.

"Your president leads the world in the cause of freedom right now ... The people of Ukraine are not just fighting for your own freedom, you're fighting for all of us who love freedom," Bono told around 100 people inside the Khreshchatyk metro station for the intimate concert, per Reuters.

Russia launched its attack on Ukraine on February 24, pushing its way into Kyiv before pulling its forces from the city at the end of March to focus its firepower on the country's eastern region. In a video address, Zelensky thanked U2 for their support "and drawing even more attention" to Ukrainian's "need for help."

Russia continues to launch missile strikes across Ukraine, which it refers to as a "special military operation" to "denazify" Ukraine.

The Power Of Music

Between songs, Bono encouraged the crowd to endure the dire situation in their war-torn country. "This evening, 8th of May, shots will ring out in the Ukraine sky, but you'll be free at last. They can take your lives, but they can never take your pride," said Bono, which a rendition of a line of U2's hit Pride (In the Name of Love).

The music of Sunday Bloody Sunday exploded from a subway station in central Kyiv, Ukraine, when Bono and The Edge played some of their classic songs against a background of air-raid alarms and warfare, The Irish Times reported.

With or Without You, Desire, Angel of Harlem, and Vertigo were among the songs on the setlist. The best part of the mini-concert, though, was when Bono invited a Ukrainian soldier to sing along to Ben E King's Stand By Me as an appeal to the world to support Ukraine's resistance.

According to Rolling Stone, the U2 duo was joined on stage by Ukrainian musicians forced into military service as a result of Russia's invasion; vocalist Taras Topolya of the Ukrainian band Antytila was among those performing alongside Bono.

Bono and the Edge previously performed a cover of Walk On during Global Citizen's "Stand Up for Ukraine" live stream, in which they condemned Moscow's aggression toward Kyiv.

Celebrities Rally Behind Ukraine

Aside from Bono and The Edge, other celebrities also have demonstrated their support for Ukraine. According to Hollywood Life, Angelina Jolie was also recently spotted in the Eastern European country. She strolled into a coffee shop in Lviv after schools, hospitals, and non-governmental organizations (NGOs) to assist those affected by the Russian invasion.

Another celebrity who visited Ukraine after the invasion is Sean Penn. For his upcoming documentary, VICE, he spoke with President Zelensky and attended government news conferences.

Tags

U2, Bono, Ukraine, Russia