‘Fill the silence with your music,’ Ukraine’s Zelensky tells Grammys awards ceremony
- The president made a video appearance at the Las Vegas show appealing to viewers to support his country ‘in any way you can’
- He delivered the message ahead of a performance by John Legend and Ukrainian musicians
“What is more opposite to music? The silence of ruined cities and killed people,” said Zelensky in the video that introduced John Legend’s performance of Free and featured Ukrainian singer Mika Newton, musician Siuzanna Iglidan and poet Lyuba Yakimchuk.
“Fill the silence with your music. Fill it today, to tell our story. Support us in any way you can. Any, but not silence,” Zelensky, wearing his now trademark olive green T-shirt, said in English, his voice hoarse.
Actor-turned-wartime-leader Zelensky, 44, has used nightly videos to great effect at home, often appearing unshaven and wearing a T-shirt, and has also beamed his image directly to parliaments around the world.
He has pleaded with allies in speeches at the US Congress, Japanese National Diet, British and Australian parliaments and Israeli Knesset, and on Sunday chose an event dedicated to the universal language of music to spur support for his country.