Pink Floyd's Roger Waters criticised by Ukraine after calling war 'not unprovoked'

British musician and activist addresses UN Security Council meeting at Russia’s request

British musician Roger Waters delivers a speech on video to the UN Security Council. EPA

Pink Floyd co-founding member Roger Waters drew criticism from Ukraine on Wednesday after he said Russia's invasion was illegal but "not unprovoked".

The legendary British musician, 79, had been invited by Russia to speak to the UN Security Council when he equivocated on the causes of the war.

"The invasion of Ukraine by the Russian Federation was illegal. I condemn it in the strongest possible terms," Waters said.

But then he added: "Also the Russian invasion of Ukraine was not unprovoked. So I also condemn the provocateurs in the strongest possible terms.

Ukraine's ambassador to the UN, Sergiy Kyslytsya, criticised Waters's comments.

"How sad for his former fans to see him accepting the role of just a brick in the wall, a wall of Russian disinformation and propaganda," Mr Kyslytsya said, in a reference to Pink Floyd's classic hit Another Brick In the Wall.

Waters also took a swipe at the Security Council for its inability to take action on many issues.

“If this is a toothless chamber,” he said, referring to the veto power of the council's five permanent members.

“I can open my big mouth on behalf of the voiceless, without fear of my head getting bitten off. How cool is that?”

Last September, Waters was declared "persona non grata" by the Polish city of Krakow after his concerts were scrapped there because of his war stance.

He wrote an open letter that month saying the West should stop providing arms to Kyiv, accusing President Volodymyr Zelenskyy of allowing "extreme nationalism" in Ukraine, and urging him to "put an end to this deadly war," AFP reported.

Albania’s UN ambassador, Ferit Hoxha, told the chamber that Waters was “lucky” to be speaking in a free country.

“If he had been in Russia, with what he said, he might have been in custody by now,” Mr Hoxha said.

Roger Waters performs in Los Angeles in 2022. Reuters