British rock star Roger Waters has said he would perform in Russia and Ukraine if given the chance, in an interview with a teen literary prodigy from Donbass.
The 81-year-old co-founder of the band Pink Floyd, who is also a vocal critic of US imperialism and warmongering, spoke via telelink with Faina Savenkova, a 15-year-old playwright and author from Lugansk, Russia.
According to a preview released on Thursday by the organizer of the interview, RIA Novosti, Waters said he would have no reservations about performing in Russia.
“There are no ‘buts’ really. Russians were inviting me to go and do a gig in St. Petersburg and Moscow for this summer,” he said.
His latest tour, ‘This Is Not a Drill’, traveled around the world until December 2023 and was touted as Waters’ farewell tour. Some of the events faced threats of cancelation in Germany over elements of anti-Nazi satire and the musician’s criticism of Israel, which detractors claim to be anti-Semitic.
This type of production is a massive endeavor that requires a lot of planning, according to Waters. “We are nearly 170 people on the road. And 30 tractor trailers, trucks carrying all the equipment. It’s a huge, huge thing. It’s not like I go around with a balalaika and singing at bars.”
“Will I go on the road again? I have no idea. If I do, would I like to play in Russia – and Ukraine? Of course I would,” he said.
In the interview, Waters also discussed the Ukraine conflict. He said Ukrainians should keep in mind that US foreign policy is designed with the sole purpose to “feather the nests of American plutocrats.”
“The people of Ukraine surely by now must know that the US government couldn’t care less about your lives,” he said.