Rod Stewart responds after ‘booing’ heard during display of support for Ukraine

Sir Rod Stewart appeared to be booed by his own fans after he saluted photos of Ukraine’s president Volodymyr Zelensky during a concert in Germany.

The British rocker, 79, has been a vocal supporter of Ukraine since Russia launched its invasion in 2022.

During his performance at Leipzigs Quarterback Immobilien Arena on Friday (14 June), Stewart had the Ukrainian flag projected on to the large screen behind him.

Video footage of the gig appears to show that, as images of Zelensky flashed up on the screen, loud boos and jeers errupted from the crowd.

Stewart went on to perform his 1991 hit “Rhythm of My Heart”, which he has called an anti-war song and dedicated to Kyiv during recent concerts.

Reporting on the incident, German newspaper Frankfurter Allgemeine called it a “sad evening”.

Stewart told the PA news agency: “I have supported the Ukrainian people throughout this war.

“From arranging for members of my family to take supplies to the country, to renting a house in the UK for a Ukrainian family, as well as employing two Ukrainians as part of my touring crew.”

He added: “So yes, I do support Zelensky and the people of Ukraine, and I will continue to do so.

“Putin must be stopped. I'm having the time of my life playing for German audiences, sharing some special memories, and I'm looking forward to playing my remaining dates here.”

The “Maggie May” star has consistently spoken out against Vladimir Putin’s war on Ukraine. In February this year, he called the Russian president an “a***ehole” and shared his concerns about the US “pulling money away from Ukraine”.

“You let that arsehole into Ukraine, he’ll get into every Nato country,” he told Friday Night with Niall Patterson. “And we’ll have to join the army.”

He continued: “We have to support Ukraine right to the end.”

In October 2022, Stewart revealed that he and his wife Penny Lancaster had rented a property in Berkshire to house a Ukrainian refugee family of seven, after they were forced to flee their home.

The singer, who was introduced to the family during his activist work, rented and furnished the house for the family and pledged to pay their rent and bills for at least a year.

“Words couldn’t describe what we were watching,” Stewart told The Mirror of his feelings about the Russian invasion.

“The bombing of innocent children, the bombing of hospitals and ­playgrounds. Like everyone else, we were completely beside ourselves. I don’t wish that one anyone. This is evil, pure evil.”

“They are all very grateful,” he said of the family. “And it just makes me want to do more. I am thinking of getting another house now and getting a lot more people over.”

It was his status as a knight, he said, that partly inspired him to take action: “I’m a knight, I’ve got to do something and I hope other people follow. My charitable work in the future will be quiet but I just wanted somebody else to pick up the flag and maybe rent a house for someone.”

Stewart was knighted in the Queen’s 2016 birthday honours for services to music and charity. He recently attended an event at St James’s Palace in London for the King’s Foundation, where he poked fun at David Beckham in front of King Charles.