The artist praised Russia and expressed a wish to return there once the "issues" related to the ongoing war in Ukraine are resolved.
The controversy started when, during the concert in the Serbian capital, he asked the audience about the presence of Russians and mentioned his plans to visit St. Petersburg and Kyiv in the future.
His remarks, which some perceived as trivializing the conflict, quickly went viral on social media and sparked backlash. Many viewed his comments as insulting to Ukraine and insensitive in light of the current crisis.
In response, the Ukrainian Ministry of Foreign Affairs issued a statement condemning Jared Leto's speech, which was perceived as trivializing the conflict between Russia and Ukraine.
Jared Leto’s expression of “feeling the Russian energy” and his desire to perform in Russia is an insult to those sacrificing their lives to defend freedom.
The Ukrainian Department of Foreign Affairs emphasized that there can be no appeasement for Russia while it continues its attempts to address the “problem” of Ukraine’s very existence.
According to the British newspaper The Independent, Jared Leto has previously shown his support for Ukraine, expressing heartbreak over the war's escalation on X/Twitter and sending thoughts to those affected.
He also honored Ukraine during his Best Supporting Actor acceptance speech at the 2014 Oscars, encouraging dreamers in Ukraine and Venezuela amid the Crimea crisis, which resulted in Russia canceling the live broadcast of the event.
Leto's representatives have been contacted for comments regarding his recent remarks but have yet to respond. In the meantime, the Ukrainian portal Euromaidan Press shared their perspective, paraphrasing Leto's words to convey that "Ukrainians felt it too - let’s feel it together."
Source: The Independent/X/@MFA_Ukraine/@EuromaidanPress
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