Prince William discussed Russia’s invasion of Ukraine during a visit to the Ukrainian Cultural Center in London on March 9.
The third-in-line to the throne packed care packages bound for Ukraine alongside the Duchess of Cambridge with other volunteers.
During the visit, the prince said that his children have been asking about the conflict saying, “Ours have been coming home asking all about it. They are obviously talking about it with their friends at school.” Prince William said that he has to “choose his words carefully” when he talks about the war with his children.
Prince William added, “We have seen a lot of that Ukrainian spirit already. Keep together. Everyone is there for you.” He also confirmed that the British public had donated close to $175 million to Ukrainian humanitarian relief efforts.
The prince also said that many British people wanted to do more to help the Ukrainian people but that most felt “useless.”
Many took aim at Prince William’s comments about conflict being ‘alien’ in Europe
The comments that drew the most attention on social were when the prince said that the British public was more accustomed to seeing conflict in Africa and Asia and that, “It’s very alien to see this in Europe. We are all behind you.”
Lawyer Andrew Visnovsky pointed out in a tweet that the Irish Republican Army set bombs off in London during Prince William’s lifetime. The prince was 17 when peace was declared in Northern Ireland.
While another person pointed out that the Prince’s mother, Princess Diana, visited Bosnia amid the genocide that occurred in the Balkans region in the 1990s.
The Prince and Duchess’ visit to the cultural center was kept under wraps for security reasons
According to Bazaar.com, the couple’s visit to the center was kept under wraps from most media outlets, with only a few reporters being present. The Bazaar reporting notes that both Prince William and the Duchess of Cambridge Kate Middleton wore Ukrainian flag pin badges on their clothing, a show of solidarity with the Ukrainian people.
The Daily Mail reports that the couple presented the volunteers at the center with trays of homemade brownies and granola bars. Also present at the meeting were the Ukrainian Ambassador to the United Kingdom, Vadim Prystaiko, and his wife, Inna.
William’s father, Prince Charles, has also been forceful in his condemnation of Russian President Vladimir Putin’s actions. According to Hello, Prince Charles said, “It is an immeasurable tragedy that so much death and destruction exists around the world at this present time, leading to much utter misery for so many people who have to leave their countries like you have.” The BBC quoted Prince Charles as describing the invasion as “brutal aggression.”