Harry in direct appeal to Putin to ‘stop this war’ during surprise visit to Kyiv

The Duke of Sussex has directly appealed to Russian President Vladimir Putin to “stop this war”, as he condemned the “systematic war crimes” of the Ukrainian conflict.

During a surprise visit to the country’s war-torn capital, Harry delivered a lengthy, impassioned speech at the Kyiv Security Forum, saying he was “not here as a politician” but as “a soldier who understands service” and a “humanitarian”.

In a rare input on global matters, the King’s youngest son also turned his attention to the US – although he did not mention President Donald Trump by name – urging the “American leadership” to “honour its international treaty obligations” in its “enduring role in global security”.

Addressing Mr Putin, Harry called on the Russian leader to “prevent further suffering” for both Ukrainians and Russians and choose a different path.

“President Putin, no nation benefits from the continued loss of life we are witnessing,” Harry said.

“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.”

He condemned the “systematic war crimes”, and the “chilling” treatment of Ukraine’s children.

“Across occupied territories, there is mounting, documented evidence of systematic war crimes: deliberate attacks on civilians, mass killings, torture, sexual violence, and the forced deportation of entire populations,” Harry said.

“Under international law, the forcible transfer of children from one national group to another is not just a war crime – it can constitute an act of genocide when carried out with intent to destroy a people’s identity.

“This is not collateral damage. This is not the chaos of war spilling over.

“This is organised, systematic, intentional, and designed to endure long after the fighting stops.”

In his reference to the US, Harry said: “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.”

Harry suggested the conflict is “not simply a war about territory”, but one about “values” and “sovereignty”.

He praised the Ukrainian people’s endurance, saying “This is what leadership looks like in the modern world”, and spoke of the “staggering” human toll of the war.

The duke, who served on two frontline tours to Afghanistan, 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.”

Harry’s words echoed those of his late mother Diana, Princess of Wales in 1997.

During the princess’s trip to Angola to campaign against landmines, which led to a row in Westminster, the princess said: “I am not a political figure. I am a humanitarian figure and always have been and always will be.”

Harry was filmed by ITV News arriving at Kyiv railway station on Thursday morning, stepping off an overnight train from Poland and greeting and hugging people on the platform.

“It’s good to be back in Ukraine, a country bravely and successfully defending Europe’s eastern flank,” Harry also told The Sun newspaper.

His speech comes just four days before his father the King begins a major state visit to America to see Mr Trump, against the backdrop of transatlantic tensions over the Iran conflict.

Harry’s unannounced visit – his third trip to Ukraine since the war began in 2022 – comes days after he finished a tour to 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.