The President of Ukraine addressed a pre-recorded video message to the participants of the Grammy Award ceremony and called for the support of his warring country.
President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskiy compared Russia’s invasion to a deadly silence that threatens to destroy the dreams of the Ukrainian people and the lives of children. “Our musicians today wear bulletproof vests instead of tuxedos. They sing for the wounded in hospitals – even for those who can’t hear,” he said in English. “But the music will still break through to them.”
Before the award ceremony, the Recording Academy, together with its partner Global Citizen, conducted a fundraising campaign for Ukraine on social networks called “Stand Up for Ukraine.”
“Fill the silence with your music. Fill it out today to tell our story. Tell the truth about the war on your social networks, on TV, support us in any way possible: in any way – just not by silence. And then peace will come to all our cities,” Zelenskiy said.
After the message of the President of Ukraine, musician John Legend performed the song “Free” together with Ukrainian performers Suzanne Iglidan, Mika Newton and poet Anya Yakimchuk, and footage of the war was broadcast on the screens behind them.
It happened on the day when the Ukrainian troops liberated the city of Bucha from the invaders and found the bodies of hundreds of executed residents; some of them were tied up and tortured. The Ukrainian authorities have accused the Russians of war crimes, and world leaders have called for tougher sanctions against Moscow. Russia also said that the atrocities were committed by the Ukrainians themselves.
