Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky made an appearance at the 2022 Grammys whilst the country continues to defend itself amidst the Russian Invasion.
The Ukrainian President made an appearance via his bunker in Kyiv in a pre-recorded video. The president’s appearance is part of The Recording Academy’s partnership with Global Citizen for their ‘Stand Up For Ukraine’ campaign, raising awareness of humanitarian efforts for the Ukrainian people.
Prior to the Grammys, there were multiple rumors of Zelensky making an appearance at this year’s Oscars, which took place last week. A slew of celebrities were seen on the red carpet wearing pins and using their time in the spotlight to address the ongoing situation.
Oscar host Wanda Sykes spoke on the red carpet prior to the event, saying to not expect the president to appear in the Oscars as he’s a ‘very busy man’, despite the reports. However, the Oscars still acknowledged the situation in Ukraine through brief text slides in the middle of the ceremony, sharing that the Academy stands with Ukraine.
It’s been over a month since Russia has invaded Ukraine, with multiple artists such as My Chemical Romance, AJR, and former One Direction member Louis Tomlinson canceling their Russian and Ukrainian tours. Meanwhile, Grammy-nominated artist Ed Sheeran performed on ITV’s Concert for Ukraine to help raise money for humanitarian aid.
Since the start of the invasion, Russia has been suspended to compete in this year’s Eurovision Song Contest and Ukraine has reassured the world that they will still be participating as the country recently received special exception.