Outrage Over Social Media Clash with Mrs. Zelenska
Waters Raises Conspiracy Theory Claiming "Smells of U.S. Interference"
Roger Waters was the early leader of Pink Floyd, responsible for vocals, bass, and songwriting. After leaving the band in 1985 due to internal conflicts, he pursued a solo career and has since made various socially engaged statements. Photo by AP Yonhap News
[Asia Economy Reporter Bang Je-il] Roger Waters, an original member of the British rock band Pink Floyd, had his concert in Poland canceled next year after raising a 'conspiracy theory' about the Ukraine war.
According to the New York Times (NYT) on the 25th (local time), Poland's 'Live Nation Polska' and 'Tauron Arena Krakow,' which planned Waters' concert, announced in a statement that the concert scheduled for next year had been canceled.
The organizers did not specify the reason for the cancellation. However, it is speculated that Waters' online dispute with Olena Zelenska, the wife of Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, on social media influenced the decision.
On the 5th of this month, Waters sent an open letter to Mrs. Zelenska on Facebook.
In the letter, he mourned the Ukrainians and Russians who lost their lives in the war and argued that Western countries should stop supplying weapons to Ukraine to prevent further deaths. In response, Mrs. Zelenska emphasized on Twitter the next day that Russia was destroying cities and killing civilians, countering, "If we give up now, tomorrow we will cease to exist."
Then, a week later, Waters posted again on Facebook, claiming that pursuing peace with Russia would benefit Ukraine.
He added, "This war is incited by the United States to weaken Russia, escalating the risk to the level of nuclear weapon use," and wrote, "It smells like the U.S. is interfering."
The social media dispute between Waters and Mrs. Zelenska sparked outrage in Poland and other countries. A politician from Krakow, Poland's second-largest city, even called for Waters to be designated a 'diplomatic persona non grata.'
Poland, a member of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO), is one of the strongest supporters of Ukraine and President Zelensky in Europe. Early in the war, Poland expressed willingness to provide Ukraine with its fleet of 25 MiG fighters. Poland requested the U.S. Department of Defense to fill the gap with American F-16s in exchange for lending its fighters to Ukraine, but the U.S. rejected the request due to concerns about escalation. Poland has also accepted millions of Ukrainian refugees.
Meanwhile, Waters criticized the Ukraine war as 'gangster behavior' in March this year. The 'gangster' he referred to was believed to be Russian President Vladimir Putin.
Pink Floyd is a British progressive rock band formed in 1965 and disbanded in 1995. Waters was the early leader of Pink Floyd, handling vocals, bass, and songwriting. After leaving the band in 1985 due to internal conflicts, he pursued a solo career and has made various socially engaged statements over the years.
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