Prince Harry makes direct plea to Putin to ‘stop this war’ during unannounced visit to Ukraine
Prince Harry makes direct plea to Putin to ‘stop this war’ during unannounced visit to Ukraine
Maryam Zakir-HussainThu, April 23, 2026 at 9:39 AM UTC
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The Duke of Sussex has told Vladimir Putin to “stop this war” in a surprise visit to Kyiv, as he praised Ukraine for “still standing, still fighting”.
Prince Harry, 41, was addressing world leaders and military top brass at the Kyiv Security Forum as he appealed to the Russian president to “choose a different course”.
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.”
The visit to Ukraine was made to “remind people back home and around the world” of the country’s war with Russia.
Harry addressed the Kyiv Security Forum on his visit to Ukraine (PA Wire)
Harry was filmed by ITV News arriving at Kyiv railway station on Thursday morning, stepping off an overnight train from Poland and greeting people on the platform.
“It’s good to be back in Ukraine,” he said, according to the broadcaster.
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Harry described Ukraine as “a country bravely and successfully defending Europe’s eastern flank” and said “it matters that we don’t lose sight of the significance of that”.
He said about Ukraine: “You have adapted, you have endured. And you have held the line.
“Few believed that would be possible. And yet here you are – still standing, still fighting, still leading.”
He added: “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 duke said he wanted “to remind people back home and around the world what Ukraine is up against and to support the people and partners doing extraordinary work every hour of every day in incredibly tough conditions”.
The unannounced visit comes days after the duke finished a tour of Australia with his wife, the Duchess of Sussex.
Source: “AOL Breaking”
