Prince Harry called on the US to “honor its international treaty obligations” to Ukraine during a surprise visit to Kyiv on Thursday.
The Duke of Sussex — who famously fled the royal family to live with wife Meagan Meghan in California — said America had an obligation to help stop Moscow’s invasion after Ukraine agreed to give up its nuclear weapons in 1994 in exchange for assurances from the US, UK and Russia.
“This is a moment for American leadership. A moment for America to show that it can honor its international treaty obligations,” Harry said.
Prince Harry speaks at the Kyiv Security Forum on April 23, 2026. REUTERS
Prince Harry is greeted after stepping off a train during an unannounced visit to Ukraine on April 23, 2026. X/ Chris Ship
Prince Harry steps off a train as he arrives in Kyiv, Ukraine, on April 23, 2026. via REUTERS“Not out of charity, but out of its enduring role in global security and strategic stability,” the prince added.
The address was made as part of Harry’s announced visit to the Ukrainian capital, with the king’s second son set to attend a Kyiv security conference during the two-day trip.
Prince Harry speaks with former Polish President Andrzej Duda at the Kyiv Security Forum on April 23, 2026. REUTERSHarry said the US, in particular, had a “singular role in this story,” given its role in the 1994 Budapest Memorandum and its military might.
The former British royal, who has visited Ukraine in the past, said he returned to Kyiv on Thursday to highlight the struggles of the war as much of the world’s attention has shifted to the conflict in the Middle East.
“I am not here as a politician,” he told members of the Kyiv Security Forum. “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.
Prince Harry speaks with former Polis President Andrzej Duda on April 23, 2026 in Kyiv. REUTERS“Because what is happening here is not simply a war about territory,” he added. “It is a war about values. About sovereignty. About whether the principles that underpin our shared democracy still hold meaning.”
Harry also touted Ukraine as a “country bravely and successfully defending Europe’s eastern flank” at a time of heightened Russian aggression.
As part of his two-day trip to Ukraine, Harry is expected to visit the de-mining HALO Trust charity that was supported by his late mother, Princess Diana.
Prince Harry embraces a Ukrainian veteran in Kyiv on April 23, 2026. REUTERS
Prince Harry sits on a panel with Ukrainian veterans in Kyiv on April 23, 2026. REUTERSThe duke is also scheduled to meet with Ukrainian participants of the Invictus Games Foundation, which helps wounded veterans recover through sports, ITV reported.
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