US Secretary of State Anthony Blinken played a cover on "Rockin' Neil Young's "in the Free World" with a local band at Kyiv's Barman Dictat during his surprise trip to the Ukrainian capital. He was taken there by the Foreign Minister of Ukraine, Dmytro Kuleba. Before that, the two had pizza for lunch.
In front of the pizzeria and bar, Blinken said that Ukraine should increase mobilization as much as possible and call even more people to the front.
The song "Rockin' in the Free World" was released by Neil Young in 1989 after his planned concert in the Soviet Union was cancelled.
Blinken joined the band "19.99" on stage for performances.
Before starting to play, Blinken told the audience: “You should know that the United States is with you, much of the world is with you, and they are fighting not only for a free Ukraine, but for the free world. And the free world is with you too."
The US secretary of state is in Ukraine's capital to pledge US support during the country's ongoing war with Russia.
The appearance of the senior American diplomat provoked criticism in the USA, and the dissatisfied defined it as "inappropriate" and "a waste of American taxpayers' money.
One critic said on social network X: “Just a quick reminder that you and your family can't afford rent, gas and groceries because inflation is out of control and your tax dollars are being spent on things like that Secretary of State Tony Blinken is playing guitar in a bar in Ukraine."
Another wrote: “The Russians are killing the Ukrainian army every day and Anthony Blinken has been spotted playing guitar in a bar in Kiev. You can't make this up.“
Now a handful of eagle-eyed music fans have spotted the significance of Blinken's song choice, highlighting how "Rockin' in the Free World" was issued just before the fall of the Berlin Wall in 1989.
Another defender of the secretary of state added: “Guys, I don't understand the friendly fire against Blinken. Do you think he came to Ukraine to play guitar? Or did you expect him to come at the head of a 40km convoy of Himars missiles? It doesn't happen that way“.