Prince Harry, the younger son of King Charles III, made a surprise visit to Kyiv on Thursday. He arrived on an overnight train from Poland and was filmed stepping off the train and greeting people on the platform by Britain’s ITV News.
“It’s good to be back in Ukraine,” the duke of Sussex told the broadcaster. He 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 visit comes while Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy is out of town in Cyprus to secure a €90 billion loan from the EU. EU ambassadors approved the loan after Hungary lifted its veto, and the formal signing of the disbursement was scheduled in Cyprus, which holds the European Council’s rotating presidency. The funds arrive at a critical moment as Ukraine seeks resources to sustain its fight against Russian forces in the fourth year since Russia launched its full-scale invasion in 2022.
Harry is due to attend the Kyiv Security Forum, where diplomats and military officials will discuss the country’s challenges amid global uncertainties. A former British Army serviceman with 10 years’ service, he is set to join a panel featuring Ukrainian war veterans, reflecting his long-standing support for injured veterans and involvement with the Invictus Games.
He arrived as global attention was also focused on the war in Iran. “Ukraine is a country bravely and successfully defending Europe’s eastern flank,” Prince Harry said, adding it matters that people “don’t lose sight of the significance of that.”
Edited by: Sean Sinico