Prince Harry tells Putin to 'stop this war' as official warns Ukraine cannot slow down

Prince Harry made a surprise visit to Kyiv and gave a speech at the Kyiv Security Forum to urge Vladimir Putin to "stop this war", condemning "systematic war crimes" and warning against growing numb to the conflict in Ukraine.

He also called on the United States to honour its commitments to Ukraine and show leadership on security.

Addressing the Russian president directly, Harry said: "President Putin, no nation benefits from the continued loss of life we are witnessing."

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He added: "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 also spoke of "documented evidence of systematic war crimes" in occupied territory, including attacks on civilians, torture and the forced deportation of children. 

Harry served in the British Army for 10 years, rose to the rank of captain and completed two tours in Afghanistan. His first deployment was as a forward air controller, and he later returned with the Army Air Corps as an Apache pilot. He left full-time military service in 2015.

He told the forum he was there "not as a politician, but as a soldier who understands military service, as a humanitarian who has seen the human cost of conflict, and as a friend of Ukraine".

He praised Ukraine's resilience and said the country was on the frontline of modern warfare, pointing to its rapid innovation in drones and the adaptability of its military.

Harry's appearance came as Head of the Office of the President of Ukraine, Lt Gen Kyrylo Budanov used the same forum to argue that Ukraine would "definitely not lose" the war, but could not afford to stop or slow down. 

He said both sides were approaching the limits of current systems and that the next step would have to be a new technological leap, with particular emphasis on artificial intelligence and new control and signal-transmission methods.

The two-day event, now in its 18th year, is one of Kyiv's main international security gatherings and this year is focused on war, global security, modern defence technology, transatlantic unity and nuclear risk. 

Admiral Giuseppe Cavo Dragone, the Chairman of Nato's Military Committee, was also among the senior figures appearing in Kyiv.

"The path is set. The steps required for Ukraine's Nato membership and the actions needed have been outlined," he said.

Harry's visit was his third to Ukraine since Russia's full-scale invasion began. 

During the trip he was also expected to meet Ukrainian veterans linked to the Invictus Games and visit the HALO Trust demining charity.