Duchess of Edinburgh first royal to visit Ukraine since Russian invasion as she meets President Zelensky and First Lady

THE Duchess of Edinburgh has become the first member of the royal family to visit Ukraine since the start of the Russian invasion.

Sophie met the president and first lady of Ukraine, Volodymyr Zelensky and Olena Zelenska, this morning and delivered a message to them on behalf of the King.

The Duchess of Edinburgh and the Ukrainian first lady Olena Zelenska visited a cathedral

Sophie talks to a woman affected by the warCredit: AFP

Sophie visited the Saint Sophia Cathedral in KyivCredit: AFP

The Duchess of Edinburgh visited the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) office to meet with war victimsCredit: AFP

The Duchess of Edinburgh with the First Lady of Ukraine Olena ZelenskaCredit: AFP

They discussed how to support survivors of conflict-related sexual violence and the women peacebuilders who have a part to play in ensuring Ukraine's recovery and reconstruction is effective and long-lasting.

Sophie, 59, visited war-torn Ukraine at the request of the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO).

A full-time working member of the Royal Family, the Duchess visited the site of a mass grave in Bucha where victims of the Russian occupation were buried.

The moved Duchess was seen laying flowers at a memorial that contains the names of the victims.

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The royal also visited a cathedral with the first lady in the capital Kiev.

Sophie's trip was an effort to demonstrate solidarity with the women, men and children impacted by the war.

The journey also marks a continuation of her work to champion survivors of conflict-related sexual violence.

Sophie met survivors of conflict-related sexual violence and torture who shared their stories.

And she talked to children who have been returned to Ukraine after being forcibly separated from their families and deported by Russia as part of a sustained campaign to erase Ukrainian culture.

In a speech during her visit, Sophie said: "It's true that women and girls pay the highest price in terms of human cost when it comes to the way that they are affected, the way that they can be used as weapons of war.

"Rape is used to demean, to degrade and to destroy, and we have to get better at trying to prevent that from happening."

She added: "I've been meeting with survivors of sexual violence and the conflict. I thank them for that honesty in telling me what happened to them. Their stories are sad... But I appreciate their time and their openness."

Sophie has visited several countries over the years to highlight the impact of historical and ongoing conflict.

These include Kosovo, Sierra Leone, South Sudan, the Democratic Republic of the Congo and Colombia.

The Duchess of Edinburgh has heard many first-hand testimonies from survivors of conflict-related sexual violence

In the two years since the war began on 24 February 2022, at least 10,582 civilians have been killed and 19,875 injured in conflict-related violence in the country, according to the UN Human Rights Monitoring Mission in Ukraine (HRMMU).