Roger Waters Criticizes Celebrities' Support for Ukraine: A Look at His Feud with David Gilmour and Their Divergent Views
Roger Waters criticized several celebrities, including Angelina Jolie, Sean Penn, and David Gilmour, for supporting Ukraine without understanding the history of Ukraine-Russian relations. He claimed that the West played a role in Russia's invasion of Ukraine and that these celebrities were ignorant of this fact. Waters and Gilmour have had a public feud since Waters left Pink Floyd in 1985, but they reunited for performances in 1990 and 2005. Waters has been vocal about geopolitical issues in his solo career and even addressed the UN Security Council in 2023, condemning Russia's invasion while also blaming Western provocateurs.
Waters specifically called out Angelina Jolie for her lack of knowledge about the conflict in Ukraine, criticizing her visit to Kherson as a distraction from the war. He also mentioned Sean Penn's visits to Ukraine and his documentary "Superpower," which follows President Zelensky's leadership during the war. Penn's charity, Core Response, provides financial aid to Ukrainian refugees, and he was awarded the Ukrainian Order of Merit for his service.
The divide between Waters and Gilmour became apparent during the Ukraine crisis, with Waters criticizing President Biden and NATO's actions, while Gilmour released a Pink Floyd track to support humanitarian relief efforts in Ukraine. Gilmour highlighted the lack of communication about the situation in Ukraine and shared personal connections to the country through his family. The contrasting views of Waters and Gilmour reflect their different approaches to supporting Ukraine during the conflict.