Prince Harry has called on Russian President Vladimir Putin to “stop this war” during a surprise trip to Ukraine, his third visit to the war-torn country since the conflict began in 2022. The Duke of Sussex arrived at Kyiv railway station this morning, stepping off an overnight train from Poland and greeting and hugging people on the platform.
Addressing the Kyiv Security Forum
He then spoke at the Kyiv Security Forum, which takes place over the next few days, where he directly addressed Putin. In his speech, he said: “President Putin, no nation benefits from the continued loss of life we are witnessing. There is still a moment – now – to stop this war, to prevent further suffering for Ukrainians and Russians alike, and to choose a different course.”
Call for American Leadership
Harry also made reference to “American leadership” but did not mention Donald Trump by name, saying it was a “moment for America to show that it can honour its international treaty obligations”. He stated: “The United States has a singular role in this story. Not only because of its power, but because when Ukraine gave up nuclear weapons, America was part of the assurance that Ukraine’s sovereignty and borders would be respected. This is a moment for American leadership – a moment for America to show that it can honour its international treaty obligations – not out of charity, but out of its enduring role in global security and strategic stability.”
Speaking as a Soldier and Humanitarian
It came after Harry also warned “the world must not grow used” or “numb” to the conflict in Ukraine as he insisted he was speaking in the war-torn country not as “a politician” but as a “soldier who understands service”. He said: “I am not here as a politician. 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 numb to its consequences. Because what is happening here is not simply a war about territory. It is a war about values. About sovereignty. About whether the principles that underpin our shared democracy still hold meaning.”
The unannounced visit – his third trip to Ukraine since the war began in 2022 – comes days after the duke finished a tour of Australia with his wife, the Duchess of Sussex. Harry stopped in the UK on his journey to Ukraine, but only to transit through and he did not leave airside. His trip comes just four days before his father, the King, begins a major state visit to America to see US President Donald Trump.
