U2 are among those who have declared they “stand with Ukraine” as the country marks its 31st anniversary on Ukraine's Independence Day.
The Dublin rockers have been outspoken in their support of Ukraine in the last six months amid the war with Russia – with Bono and The Edge travelling to the country back in May, and performing a special concert in a metro station in Kyiv, after being invited to the country personally by Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy.
They shared a post on Instagram of Bono's reading of 'My Friendly Epistle' by Taras Shevchenko, the renowned Ukrainian poet.
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Bono wrote: "Six months ago to the day, when Putin’s army invaded Ukraine, Edge and myself recorded these words from the father of Ukrainian literature, Taras Shevchenko.
"They could have been written for this moment.
"Three months ago, Edge and I stood in front of a bronze statue of the same poet in Borodyanka. A journalist asked Edge if there's a role for musicians and writers in this kind of situation.
"‘Well,’ he replied, looking up to the statue 'The Russian empire seemed to think so. Isn’t that a bullet hole in the poet’s head?'
"Today is the 31st anniversary of Ukraine’s Independence, and we stand with them," U2 added.
In May, the 61-year-old rock icon belted out U2 classics Sunday Bloody Sunday, Desire and With or Without You from the platform of a metro station.
"The people in Ukraine, you are not just fighting for your own freedom, you are fighting for all of us who love freedom," said Bono during a break.
The singer also referenced the past conflicts in Ireland and the troubles it had with a more powerful neighbour.
"We pray that you will enjoy some of that peace soon," said Bono at the time.
The pair later visited Bucha, which is the site of a mass grave, near Kyiv.
Speaking to Sky News in Kyiv, Bono appeared to reference Vladimir Putin by saying that the war in Ukraine was "one man's war".
"I think it's one man's war, really", he said.
"I think that the people in Russia... younger people know what's going on.
"I trust in the younger people in Russia to throw this man out of his office, that is so high and is so low, right now."
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