Bono and the Edge Perform in Ukrainian Bomb Shelter

U2 members Bono and the Edge delivered a surprise performance inside a subway station in Kyiv, Ukraine that is serving as a bomb shelter.

“President Zelensky 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 noted on Twitter, his message accompanied by the hashtag #StandWithUkraine.

The U2 icons delivered a 40-minute acoustic set, including renditions of “With or Without You” and “Angel of Harlem.”

"The people in Ukraine are not just fighting for your own freedom, you are fighting for all of us who love freedom," Bono reportedly told the audience of about 100 people. "We pray that you will enjoy some of that peace soon."

“This evening, 8 May, shots will ring out in the Ukraine sky, but you’ll be free at last. They can take your lives, but they can never take your pride,” Bono said at another point, his words echoing the lyrics of U2's 1984 hit "Pride (In the Name of Love)."

Bono and the Edge were also joined by Ukrainian singer Taras Topolia for an acoustic rendition of the classic Ben E. King song “Stand By Me.” After singing through the famous tune, Bono ceded the spotlight to Topolia, who delivered a message imploring world leaders to continue assisting Ukraine in their war with Russia.

“I’m asking you to help our president and our diplomacy to extract Ukraine’s soldiers from Mariupol,” Topolia said, referencing the besieged city in Ukraine’s south that has suffered some of the war’s most devastating death and destruction."

Watch video of the performance below.

U2, of course, are no strangers to political and humanitarian causes. The band’s long history of activism includes supporting Amnesty International, playing the Secret Policeman’s Ball, Band Aid and Live Aid. They also have been longtime advocates of AIDS awareness and education, including support for the RED Project, which Bono co-founded.