The Prince of Wales has spoken out about the “nightmare situation” in Ukraine during a trip to Romania to meet refugees who have fled the war in their homeland.
Charles was joined by distant relative Margareta, head of the Romanian royal family, for the unannounced tour of a donation centre for refugees in the capital Bucharest.
More than a million Ukrainians have crossed the border into Romania since the Russian invasion in February and the nation has had to quickly adapt to deal with the needs of the displaced.
Members of the Red Cross during his visit to the Ukrainian refugee centre in Bucharest
Yui Mok
The Prince of Wales during his visit to the Ukrainian refugee centre in Bucharest, Romania
Yui Mok
Speaking through an interpreter, the prince told a group of Ukrainian families: “We feel for Ukraine, a nightmare situation. Keep praying.”
Charles, who at one point clasped hands with a little boy, added: “I’m full of admiration for the Ukrainian people.”
He met representatives from non-governmental organisations and charities like the Salvation Army and the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees, working at the Romexpo donation centre to provide everything from children’s toys and toiletries to household goods and pet food.
Lilia Nimych, 33, an entrepreneur who produced a range of pet products in her home city of Bila Tserkva in central Ukraine, fled with her daughters Emily, six, and Nilana, 14.
She said: “I’m so happy we came here, we’ve received so much help.
“All we saw from windows was bombs dropping… that’s why we left.
We saw bombs coming down on our city – scary.”
After hearing Charles’s words of support she said: “It makes us brave and gives us the power to stand tall.”
