Duke of Sussex, Prince Harry makes surprise visit to Ukraine
Prince Harry, the younger son of King Charles III, made a surprise visit to the Ukrainian capital of Kyiv today, (Thursday).
The prince, who arrived on an overnight train from Poland, was filmed getting off the train and greeting people on the platform by Britain’s ITV News.
“It’s good to be back in Ukraine,” the broadcaster quoted the duke of Sussex as saying.
Harry told ITV News 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.”
But Harry arrives at a time when Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy joins EU leaders in Cyprus to see through the release of a €90 billion loan from the EU, dw.com reports.
EU ambassadors approved the loan on Wednesday after Hungary lifted its veto, but the formal signing of the disbursement of the loan takes place today in Cyprus, which currently holds the European Council’s rotating presidency.
The loan comes at a critical time for Ukraine, as the country requires money to beef up its resources to fight against Russian forces for a fourth year since Russia launched its full-scale invasion of its smaller neighboring country in 2022.
Harry is set to attend a security conference in Kyiv, called Kyiv Security Forum, where a host of diplomats and military officials are set to discuss challenges, the country faces amid global uncertainties.
Harry, who served 10 years in the British Army, is set to join a panel featuring Ukrainian war veterans, in keeping with his dedication to helping injured veterans.
Harry also arrives in Kyiv at a time when the world’s attention has been redirected toward the war in Iran.
Ukraine is “a country bravely and successfully defending Europe’s eastern flank,” Prince Harry said, adding that “it matters that we don’t lose sight of the significance of that.”
