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The line-up for the two-hour "Concert for
Ukraine" in Birmingham also featured Ukrainian singer Jamala,
who won the 2016 Eurovision Song Contest, music veteran Nile
Rodgers & Chic as well as groups Snow Patrol and Manic Street
Preachers.
"It's such an important cause, I'm so honoured to be here," said
Sheeran during his segment. He then performed with Cabello, who
also sang a version of Coldplay's "Fix You".
"We are all praying tonight for the peace and the safety of the
people in the Ukraine," Cabello said.
A poignant moment in the evening was a performance by young
virtuoso violinist Illia Bondarenko who played the Ukrainian
folk song "Verbovaya Doschechka" from a basement shelter in Kyiv
along with 94 violinists from around the world.
Singers Emeli Sandé and Gregory Porter, violinist Nicola
Benedetti as well as the gospel Kingdom Choir also performed.
Unable to attend in person, singer Billie Eilish and her brother
Finneas sent their support in a video message.
"We still wanted to offer all of our love and support to
everyone performing and most importantly to express the support
and solidarity with the millions of people who have been forced
to flee their homes and leave everything behind," said Eilish.
The show, broadcast on ITV and STV channels during which viewers
could make donations, also featured films showing relief efforts
in Ukraine since Russia launched its invasion more than a month
ago. Moscow has called its actions a "special operation".
Organisers said the concert had raised £12.2 million ($16
million) which will be donated to the Disasters Emergency
Committee - an umbrella of British charities - for the
humanitarian appeal in Ukraine.
($1 = 0.7635 pounds)
(Writing by Marie-Louise Gumuchian; Editing by Karishma Singh
and Stephen Coates)
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