Bono and The Edge of U2 perform at bomb shelter in Kyiv in support of Ukrainian people

The band said they decided to do so after being invited to perform by the country’s president, Volodymyr Zelenskyy.

Videos from the impromptu gig on social media showed Bono and the Edge performing a version of ‘Stand By Me’ along with members of the public at a metro station in Kyiv.

The station has been functioning as a bomb shelter for locals since the conflict began two months ago.

Confirming the performance on their social media account, U2 wrote: “President @ZelenskyyUa invited us to perform in Kyiv as a show of solidarity with the Ukrainian people and so that’s what we’ve come to do. -- Bono and The Edge #StandWithUkraine"

The band members also performed some of U2’s hits including With or Without You before Bono addressed the assembled crowd, telling them: “The people in Ukraine are not just fighting for your own freedom, you are fighting for all of us who love freedom.”

Ukrainian musician Taras Topolia was also in attendance with Bono and The Edge. He’s the lead singer with the band Antytila, who recently recorded a single with Ed Sheeran.

Sheeran and the members of Antytila became friendly through social media in recent months, and the British singer asked the group if they wanted to collaborate on a new version of 2step, according to Topolia.