[imagesource: Sergei Supinsky / AFP via Getty Images]

Bono and U2 bandmate The Edge were invited to perform in Kyiv by Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy himself.

They set up their surprise show on the central Kyiv subway platform, since Ukraine’s transit stations have doubled up as bomb shelters for residents to hide from Russian attacks.

The musicians performed U2 classics, such as ‘With or Without You’, ‘Angel of Harlem’, and a cover of Ben E. King’s ‘Stand by Me’ but with the lyrics “Stand by Ukraine”.

Oh, and ‘Sunday Bloody Sunday’, of course.

The Irish band has an Amnesty International “Ambassador of Conscience Award” for linking music with the struggle for human rights, which they won back in 2005.

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

Here’s a snippet of their performance:

The U2 frontmen were joined by Ukrainian band Antytila, with Taras Topolia singing in military garb.

The New York Post reported that a month ago, Zelenskyy made a special address at the Grammys urging global musicians to use their platforms and speak out about the “truth” of the war:

“Fill the silence with your music!” Zelenskyy said at the time. “Fill it today to tell our story. Tell the truth about this war on your social networks, on TV. Support us in any way you can. Any — but not silence. And then peace will come.

“Our musicians wear body armor instead of tuxedos,” he added. “They sing to the wounded in hospitals. Even to those who can’t hear them. But the music will break through anyway.”

Bono and The Edge couldn’t have agreed more, per Sky News:

“Musicians and poets and writers do have a part to play. We work with our music and our words. We’re not politicians. But we can speak to the horror of what we’re standing in the midst of, and just say ‘it’s wrong’. So we’re here to bear witness to it.”

Bono spoke bravely and eloquently about bearing witness:

What a show under tragic circumstances:

[source:nypost&skynews]