Ukraine president appears at Grammy's from bunker
Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelensky made a surprise appearance at the Grammy’s from his bunker as war continues to tear into his country.
In a pre-recorded video from his bunker in Kyiv, Zelensky delivered a powerful speech asking the audience and viewers to “support us in any way you can” as fighting continues between Ukraine and Russia.
"The war. What's more opposite than music,” President Zelensky began.
"The silence of ruined cities and killed people. Our children drew swooping rockets, not shooting stars.
"Over 400 children have been injured and 153 children died. And we will never see them drawing."
“Our parents are happy to wake up in the morning. In bomb shelters, but alive. Our loved ones don’t know if we will be together again.
“The war doesn’t let us choose who survives and who stays in eternal silence.
“Our musicians wear body armour instead of tuxedos. They sing to the wounded in hospitals, even to those who can’t hear them. But the music will break through anyway.”
He urged and encouraged musicians and viewers of the Grammy to “fill the silence with your music!”
“We defend our freedom. To live. To love. To sound. On our land, we are fighting Russia which brings horrible silence with its bombs.
“The dead silence. Fill the silence with your music! 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.
“To all our cities the war is destroying. Chernihiv, Kharkiv, Volnovakha, Mariupol and others. They are legends already. But I have a dream of them living. And free. Free like you on the Grammy stage.”
Zelensky’s speech served as an introduction to John Legend’s live performance, which then featured a backdrop of photos from war-torn Ukraine.
Image: Getty