On Friday, country music star Brad Paisley released a song in honor of Ukraine which includes a feature by Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky.
Paisley’s song, titled “Same Here,” overviews vague similarities between American and Ukrainian citizens. Paisley discusses how both countries’ citizens watch the sunset, go to weddings, drink beer, and care about their families. “However you talk, whatever you think, from the songs that you sing to the drink that you drink, if you miss your mama and worry ’bout your babies, and love each other like crazy, and want someone to share your hopes and fears, same here,” Paisley sings.
Paisley was inspired to write the song after seeing the mainstream media’s reporting on the Russia/Ukraine conflict. While he does not speak or understand the Ukrainian language, the country star was able to “recognize the tears” of the Ukrainian people, Paisley told the Associated Press.
Towards the end of the song, Paisley addresses Zelensky as “a friend from across the ocean” before a recording of a call between the singer and Zelensky is played.
“We speak different languages in our life. Yes, but I think we appreciate the same things – children, freedom, our flag, our soldiers, our people. The biggest treasure we have,” Zelensky is heard telling the country singer. “There is no distance between our countries in such values. That is very important to see that they are, ah, really in many, in many things really the same,” the Ukrainian president added.
Paisley has been a consistent supporter of Ukraine. “There’s just no differences [between the United States and Ukraine]. You can put us in different places with different flags and different languages, but we have so many similarities,” the country singer said.
He is one of many celebrity ambassadors appointed by Zelensky to lead United24, a crowdfunding effort where individuals can send money to Ukrainians.
While the Biden administration has sent billions of dollars to the country, through United24 Zelensky’s government has received over $288 million in donations.
On Friday, President Zelensky threatened the United States would “lose NATO and they will lose their leadership position in the world” if aid to Ukraine slows down, Trending Politics News previously reported.
Listen to Paisley and Zelensky’s song below: