Zelenskyy urges Glastonbury crowd to spread truth about war

PILTON, England (AP) — Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy urged music fans at the Glastonbury Festival on Friday to “spread the truth about Russia’s war ” on his country.

Zelenskyy spoke to the crowd in a video message played at the British music extravaganza before a set by The Libertines.

The Ukrainian leader said the festival, returning for the first time since 2019, showed that “the pandemic has put on hold lives of the millions of people around the world, but has not broken.”

“We in Ukraine would also like to live the life as we used to and enjoy freedom and this wonderful summer, but we cannot do that because the most terrible has happened — Russia has stolen our peace,” he said.

“That is why I turn to you for support, Glastonbury, the greatest concentration of freedom these days, and I ask you to share this feeling with everyone whose freedom is under attack.”

Zelenskyy urged festivalgoers to “spread the truth about Russia’s war, help Ukrainians who are forced to flee their homes because of the war.”

The speech drew a wave of loud cheers and applause from thousands of people gathered at Worthy Farm in southwest England.

More than 200,000 people are attending the four-day festival. Performers include Billie Eilish, Ziggy Marley, Foals, Kendrick Lamar, Paul McCartney and Ukraine’s Kalush Orchestra, the winner of last month’s Eurovision Song Contest.

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Follow the AP’s coverage of the war at https://apnews.com/hub/russia-ukraine