Bono and The Edge, members of the legendary band U2, have performed this Sunday in a kyiv metro station, used as a refuge by the population after the invasion of the country by Russia on February 24.
The singer and guitarist had been invited by President Volodímir Zelenski.
The two members of the Dublin group have made public on Twitter their surprise concert in the suburban of the Ukrainian capital: “President Zelensky has invited us to perform in kyiv in a show of solidarity with the Ukrainian people, which we have decided to do.
Bono and The Edge."
According to Agence France Presse, both bandleader Bono and guitarist The Edge performed to "a small crowd of fans," including weary-faced members of the country's armed forces.
In the videos shared on social networks, the couple performs songs by Ben E. King, such as
Stand by me,
or hits such as
Sunday Bloody Sunday, Desire
or
With or Without You
, which they sing accompanied by members of the Ukrainian army.
Kyiv now.
The legendary Bono from the U2 band with Taras Topolia ("Antytila") performs at the Khreschatyk metro station.#StandWithUkraine️ pic.twitter.com/suzkCVvgKt
— Stratcom Center UA (@StratcomCentre) May 8, 2022
Bono, 61, was in favor of "freedom" and "peace."
"The Ukrainian people are not fighting for their freedom, they are fighting for the freedom of all those who love freedom," he said during a break.
"I pray that we enjoy some peace soon," he added.
The sudden appearance of the Dublin singer in kyiv – known for his humanitarian campaigns against poverty or AIDS – occurred at the same time that the alarms sounded before an imminent attack in the Ukrainian capital.
The Irish newspaper
RTE
collects some statements from the teacher Olesia Bezsmertna, 36, who attended the performance: “I have a strange feeling.
Before the show, I feel like a girl going to school for the first time.”