'I am not a political figure': Prince Harry echoes words of Princess Diana during Ukraine visit
Harry made his position on the conflict clear as he spoke to the Kyiv Security Forum during his surprise visit
Prince Harry has echoed the words of his mother as the royal took a stand against the war in Ukraine, levelling searing remarks at both Putin and Trump during his visit to the country.
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The Duke of Sussex met with senior members of the Ukrainian military as part of the surprise visit, despite ongoing Russian attacks on the country.
Addressing the Kyiv Security Forum, he announced he was “not here as a politician”.
Harry told the conference: "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 words echoed those of his late mother, Princess Diana, whose humanitarian efforts and diplomatic overtures were a core part of her legacy. Princess Diana famously told cameras in 1997 that she was "not a political figure” but a “humanitarian" one.
Read more: Harry makes surprise visit to Ukraine to ‘remind the world’ about the war
The Prince went on to deliver a clear message to the Russian President, urging that there was “still a moment, now, to stop this war”.
"Years into this war," Harry said, directing his words at President Putin.
“With immense losses and limited gains, it is increasingly clear that this path offers no victor - only more loss.”
He continued: "President Putin, no nation benefits from the continued loss of life we are witnessing.”
He went on to share a message with the “American leadership”, but did not directly name President Trump.
The Prince said that the US, where he now resides, has a “singular role” in this conflict because it promised to protect Ukraine’s borders and its sovereignty when Ukraine gave up its nuclear arsenal.
He said: "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.”
Since stepping away from the Crown, Harry’s new life stateside involves several non-profit ventures, including his work with the Invictus Games foundation, which he founded after leaving the British Army.
As part of his visit to Ukraine, Harry will also be meeting with some of the tens of thousands of Ukrainian soldiers who have been seriously injured in the conflict.
Harry will also be overseeing the work of the de-mining charity, The Halo Trust, which his mother worked with in Angola shortly before her tragic death.
In an iconic film shot in 1997, Princess Diana was filmed walking through a cleared minefield with just a flak jacket and a visor.
