Prince Harry makes surprise trip to Ukraine and tells wounded veterans and medics 'you're going to win the war'

The Duke of Sussex met with wounded veterans and medics during a surprise visit to Ukraine over the weekend, telling them: 'You're going to win the war.'Prince Harry's arrival in the western city of Lviv on Saturday marked his fourth visit to the country since the start of the conflict with Russia.The 42-year-old visited the Superhumans Centre - a specialised medical, prosthetics, and rehabilitation facility in the city and took the stage at the first international War Trauma Conference at the All-Ukrainian War Trauma Center.Although he acknowledged he had 'taken a risk to come here', Harry told the crowd: 'Every single time I come back to Ukraine, I feel welcome, I feel warmth.'You're going to win the war and then you're going to be set up for success.'Harry said Ukraine's experience in helping injured military personnel and civilians will become the foundation for rebuilding the country after the war. The War Trauma Conference is the first to be dedicated to modern approaches for treating and rehabilitating people suffering from combat-related trauma. Harry was dressed casually in a dark, hooded, puffer jacket, dark blue trousers and brown desert boots as he attended a series of events. The Duke of Sussex has met with wounded veterans and medics during a surprise visit to Ukraine, telling them: 'You're going to win the war' He was later seen posing with organisers of Ukraine's Invictus Games. He is the founder and patron of the Invictus Games and the Invictus Games Foundation Harry (pictured holding up a child in Lliv) said he felt 'welcome' and 'warmth' every time he visited Ukraine. His most recent over the weekend is the fourth since the conflict began In a school sports hall, the Duke (pictured) watched wheelchair rugby players as they vied for a place in Ukraine's team at next year's Invictus Games He was pictured grinning ear-to-ear as he held up a little boy for a photo and when he posed with organisers of Ukraine's Invictus Games. In a school sports hall, he watched wheelchair rugby players as they vied for a place in Ukraine's team at next year's Invictus Games and joined in for a game of pickleball.Ukraine is planning to send 60 competitors – its largest ever team – to the 2027 edition of the event, which is scheduled to take place in Birmingham. The country has about 1.4million combat veterans, more than 10 per cent of whom have disabilities.Later on Saturday, Harry told wounded veterans joining the Invictus movement: 'When the war is over and when Ukraine wins, we will be ready to support you in holding an Invictus Games.'At the rugby game, he hugged a player he recognised – Valery Odainyk, a former contestant at the Invictus Games in Canada in 2025, who has an amputated leg.The 41-year-old with a large tattoo on one arm and deep smile lines, explained to the duke that he is 'still an active serviceman'. In a school sports hall, he watched wheelchair rugby players as they vied for a place in Ukraine's team at next year's Invictus Games Harry was dressed casually in a dark, hooded, puffer jacket, dark blue trousers and brown desert boots as he attended a series of events Ukraine has about 1.4million combat veterans, more than 10 per cent of whom have disabilities Harry enjoyed a game of pickleball with Ukrainian war veterans The duke is seen signing a ball during trials for the Invictus Games Ukraine team Prince Harry's arrival in the western city of Lviv on Saturday marked his fourth visit to the country since the start of the conflict with Russia Prince Harry meets Ukrainian war veteran Kostiantyn Vlasenko at the Superhumans Center Harry told wounded veterans joining the Invictus movement: 'When the war is over and when Ukraine wins, we will be ready to support you in holding an Invictus Games''So when do you find time to train?' Harry asked in surprise.Mr Odainyk said afterwards he told the duke that his involvement in such sport 'all started and continues with the Invictus Games'.The duke's last visit to Ukraine was in April 2026, just days after he finished a pseudo-royal tour of Australia with his wife Meghan, the Duchess of Sussex.Harry told reporters during the trip that he was 'not here as a politician' but as 'a soldier who understands service' and a 'humanitarian'.He urged Vladimir Putin to 'stop this war' with Ukraine and accused the Russians of carrying out 'mass killings and torture'.In September 2025, the duke made his second visit to Ukraine and his first to Kyiv. The city had been hit with Russian cruise missiles just two days earlier. During that visit, he declared he will do 'everything possible' to help Ukrainian soldiers and service personnel injured in the three-year war with Russia.In April 2025, Harry met with war victims in his first trip to Ukraine, this time to Lviv.The visit to the area in western Ukraine, that has frequently been targeted with Russian missiles, was not announced until after Harry was out of the country.Harry, 42, is the second member of the royal family to visit Ukraine. His aunt, Sophie, the Duchess of Edinburgh, became the first British royal to travel to the country since Russia's 2022 invasion when she made an unannounced visit to Kyiv in 2024.