Ellie Goulding has shared her “emotional journey” after visiting Kyiv.
The singer, 35, was invited as a guest of President Volodymyr Zelensky and his wife Olena Zelenska to the First Ladies Summit at the weekend.
Describing the visit as “one of the greatest honours”, Goulding said she was “determined to be there in person to pay tribute to the bravery and resilience of the Ukranian People”.
While there she performed “a beautiful and powerful song in Ukrainian, ‘Chervona Kalyna’, a song of resistance” in Kyiv.
Goulding said she had been “inspired” to visit by a number of people she has previously met as an ambassador for the UN Environment Programme, including a climate activist from Ukraine named called Ilyess El Kortbi.
She said: “I was inspired by a number of people, but particularly a young fridaysforfuture climate activist @ilyess_ek who I met at the Nature and Climate talks in Stockholm a few weeks ago.
“Traumatised by the invasion of his country he nevertheless showed up at the UN talks determined to carry on his work.In fact every day as a @UNEP ambassador I am reminded of the immense contribution of Ukranian climate scientists, renewable energy experts and environmentalists of all type.
“They are living through an horrific war bankrolled by fossil fuels. They somehow find the grit to keep going, working and campaigning for all of humanity. So I always knew that if I got the chance, I would try to show up too.”
Recounting her trip, she continued: “On the night-train to Kyiv I looked out of the window and could make out the endless fields… a reminder that the Ukraine is the breadbasket of the world, this bastion of culture, of science and humanity is also a cradle of resistance and courage and commitment.
“I can’t tell you what an emotional journey this has been.
“There’s too much to put into words right now but I stand in solidarity, awe and respect with the people of Ukraine.”
