U2 share message supporting Ukraine on third anniversary of Russian invasion

U2 have shared a poem and piano piece in support of Ukraine and President Zelenskyy to mark the third anniversary of Russia’s invasion.

Today [24th February] marks three years since Russia launched a full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022.

On Instagram, U2 posted a recording of Bono reading a poem from the 19th-century Ukrainian writer Taras Shevchenko over a piano arrangement. In the caption, Bono writes that he and The Edge sent that piece to President Zelenskyy soon after the invasion: “All who believe in freedom and sense the jeopardy we Europeans now find ourselves in are not sleeping easily on this, the third anniversary of the invasion”.

 

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The message arrives as Ukraine has struggled to uphold ties with vital ally the United States. The war between Russia and Ukraine continues, with Ukraine’s American support becoming increasingly precarious.

Last week, Donald Trump referred to Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelenskyy as a “dictator without elections”, and his administration hasn’t included Ukraine in recent talks with Russia. Zelenskyy was democratically elected in 2019 and, according to Ukrainian law, elections are currently suspended under martial law, which has been in place since the war began in 2022.

U2 have long been outspoken in their support of Ukraine – with Bono and The Edge travelling to the country in May 2022, and performing a special concert in a metro station in Kyiv, after being invited to the country personally by Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy.

In April 2022, 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"