KYIV — Britain’s Prince Harry made an unannounced visit to Kyiv on Thursday, using the trip to deliver a direct appeal to Vladimir Putin to end the war in Ukraine. He also called on Donald Trump to demonstrate stronger leadership in efforts to resolve the conflict.
The visit comes just a week after a large-scale Russian aerial assault on Ukraine and marks Harry’s third trip to the country since the war began.
Although members of the British royal family traditionally avoid overt political commentary, and figures such as King Charles III have expressed general support for Ukraine, Harry’s remarks were notably more direct than those of his relatives.
“President Putin, no nation benefits from the continued loss of life we are witnessing. There is still a moment — now — to stop this war, prevent further suffering for Ukrainians and Russians alike, and choose a different course,” he said during a speech at a Kyiv security forum.
He also urged the United States to play a more decisive role in ending the conflict.
“This is a moment for American leadership — a moment for America to show it can honour its international obligations,” Harry said.
“Europe has stood up in profound ways,” added the prince, a British Army veteran who served in Afghanistan. “The task now is to match endurance with speed, solidarity with scale, and commitment with consistency.”
His speech was met with strong applause as he praised the resilience of the Ukrainian people and highlighted the military’s innovation, particularly its use of advanced drone technology.
During the two-day visit, Harry is expected to meet with the HALO Trust — a charity supported by his late mother, Diana, Princess of Wales — as well as spend time with Ukrainian participants of the Invictus Games Foundation, which he founded to support wounded service personnel through sport.
“I am not here as a politician,” Harry said. “I am here as a soldier who understands service, as a humanitarian who has seen the human cost of conflict, and as a friend of Ukraine who believes the world must not grow used to this war or become numb to its consequences.”
Sources: Reuters
