'There is still a moment — now — to stop this war,' Prince Harry told President Vladimir Putin on 23 April as he addressed delegates at the Kyiv Security Forum during an unannounced visit to Kyiv. The Duke of Sussex accused Russian forces of systematic abuses, urged the United States to honour security assurances tied to Ukraine's relinquishment of nuclear weapons, met Invictus Games participants and planned a visit to the Halo Trust demining charity.
Direct appeal from the podium
Prince Harry told diplomats, military figures and international delegates that continued fighting serves no nation and that there remains an immediate window to halt the bloodshed. "President Putin, no nation benefits from the continued loss of life we're witnessing," he said, adding that stopping the war would prevent further suffering for both Ukrainians and Russians.
He framed his remarks as personal rather than political: "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." The Duke of Sussex, 41, has served in the British Army and founded the Invictus Games Foundation for wounded veterans.
Harry's speech included pointed language about abuses on occupied territory, citing mounting evidence of deliberate attacks on civilians, mass killings, torture, sexual violence and forced deportations. He warned that the forcible transfer of children may, under international law, amount to an act of genocide if carried out with intent to destroy a people’s identity.
Why the visit matters
The unannounced visit is another trip to Ukraine since the Russian invasion began in 2022 and was intended as a symbolic reminder that the conflict continues amid other global crises. He was filmed at the city's railway station, greeting people on the platform.
Organisers invited him to the Kyiv Security Forum, where he sought to keep Ukraine on the global agenda. He explicitly linked his appeal to the United States’ role in post-Cold War security arrangements, saying the country had a responsibility because it was party to assurances given when Ukraine relinquished nuclear weapons: "This is a moment for American leadership — a moment for America to show that it can honour its international treaty obligations." He did not name any US politician in the address.
Humanitarian and legal claims
Harry used legal language in his condemnation, describing some actions as "organised, systematic, intentional" and warning they would be designed to endure long after active combat ends. He singled out the treatment of children in occupied areas as part of a pattern that may meet the threshold of genocide under international law.
The Duke linked his remarks to his work with veterans and charities, meeting Ukrainians involved with the Invictus Games Foundation and planning to visit the Halo Trust demining charity. He described Ukraine as "bravely and successfully defending Europe’s eastern flank" and said the world sees and respects the country's resistance.
Diplomatic and political fallout
While the visit was personal, its timing could carry diplomatic weight by refocusing international attention on Ukraine and pressing allies on commitments and support.
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"There is still a moment — now — to stop this war," Prince Harry said at the Kyiv Security Forum.
This article was created with AI assistance.
