Prince William And Kate Release Rare Political Statement On Ukraine

Britain’s Prince William and his wife, Kate Middleton, on Saturday said they stand with Ukraine against invading Russian forces, in an unusual instance of the royal couple wading into political waters.

“In October 2020 we had the privilege to meet President Zelenskyy and the First Lady to learn of their hope and optimism for Ukraine’s future,” the pair wrote in a tweet that was also posted to their Instagram page .

“Today we stand with the President and all of Ukraine’s people as they bravely fight for that future,” they wrote, signing the message with their initials.

William and Kate met with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and his wife, first lady Olena Zelenska, in 2020 at Buckingham Palace.

The British royal family is generally forbidden from taking sides on any political issue. But there has been a global outpouring of support for the people of Ukraine this week, as Russian President Vladimir Putin ordered his troops to invade, shelling cities and destroying civilian infrastructure.

The message from the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge mirrors a similar sentiment from their overseas family in California. The Duke and Duchess of Sussex shared a message of support for Ukrainians Thursday evening.

“Prince Harry and Meghan, The Duke and Duchess of Sussex, and all of us at Archewell stand with the people of Ukraine against this breach of international and humanitarian law and encourage the global community and its leaders to do the same,” they said on their charitable organization’s website.

Unlike William and Kate, Harry and Meghan attracted some criticism and mockery  on social media and from British tabloids  for their statement.

As of Saturday, some 120,000 Ukrainians have fled the country for safe haven elsewhere, while others have become volunteer resistance fighters helping to bolster Ukraine’s armed forces. In Kyiv, the nation’s capital, many residents have sought refuge in underground subway stations that double as bomb shelters. A Ukrainian diplomat said at least one woman has given birth there .

The country’s health minister says about 200 Ukrainians have died in the attacks this week, although it is not clear whether that number includes both military and civilian fatalities.