"I am grateful to [Bono] for supporting our people and drawing even more attention to the need to help our people," President Zelenskyy said
Bono and The Edge performed an impromptu concert inside of a Kyiv subway station to show solidarity with the Ukrainian people amid Russia's invasion.
Bono later tweeted that he had been invited to perform by Ukraine's president, Volodymyr Zelenskyy, "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."
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 @U2
Bono (U2) and “Antytela” band in Kyiv metro 🇺🇦 #Ukraine pic.twitter.com/C89h2gehZD
— Kristina Berdynskykh (@berdynskykh_k) May 8, 2022 @berdynskykh_k
The singer played a 40-minute set which featured U2's greatest hits like "With or Without You", "Bloody Sunday" and even covered Ben E. King's "Stand By Me" in which the musician changed the lyrics to "stand by Ukraine" per The Irish Times.
The singer and the guitarist played in the central metro station of Khreshchatyk which is currently being utilized as a bomb shelter in the capital.
According to Newsweek, President Zelenskyy addressed Bono's efforts in his nightly video address, thanking the singer for answering his call to sing for the people of Ukraine.
"I am grateful to [Bono] for supporting our people and drawing even more attention to the need to help our people," he said.
Ukrainian leaders shared Zelenskyy's sentiments, with the country's MP Lesia Vasylenko writing on Twitter, "Justin Trudeau, Jill Biden, Bono and U2, and a few other high ranking officials from different countries all in #Ukraine during very critical days. The international presence sends a clear message to #Russia: you attack Ukraine, you attack us."
Advisor to Ukraine's Chief of Staff Serhiy Leshchenko even joined Bono on stage and tweeted, "In the epicenter of global history. Bono from @U2 on the metro station in Kyiv singing for Ukraine. Such a historical moments to show solidarity and pay global attention on putin's invasion."
In the epicenter of global history. Bono from @U2 on the metro station in Kyiv singing for Ukraine. Such a historical moments to show solidarity and pay global attention on putin’s invasion. Please repost and stand with Ukraine by pushing your govts to help us with weapons/money pic.twitter.com/j5aKrkPS60
— Serhiy Leshchenko (@Leshchenkos) May 8, 2022 @Leshchenkos
Justin Trudeau, Jill Biden, Bono and U2, and a few other high ranking officials from different countries all in #Ukraine during very critical days. The international presence sends a clear message to #Russia: you attack Ukraine, you attack us
— Lesia Vasylenko (@lesiavasylenko) May 9, 2022 @lesiavasylenko