The Duchess of Edinburgh Sophie, an activist of the British initiative “Preventing Sexual Violence in Conflict,” has arrived in Kyiv. This is the first visit to Ukraine by a member of the British royal family since the beginning of the Russian invasion in 2022.
The Duchess met with survivors of conflict-related sexual violence and torture, as well as with children who were returned after Russian deportation.
“Today was a happy day because I finally got to Ukraine. But it’s also a sad day because, of course, it means that while I’ve been here, I’ve been learning more and more about the situation in all its realities, which is sad. The human cost of war is real, and I know everyone here feels it very keenly,” she said.
Sophie also met with President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and First Lady Olena Zelenska to “discuss the most effective ways to support survivors of sexual violence during the war.”
