By Rory Gannon

Copyright dailystar

One of the Royal Family’s most senior figures has paid a surprise visit to Ukraine . During the trip, Princess Anne met with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy to look at the impact the war has had on the country’s children. The Princess Royal visited the war-torn nation on Tuesday (September 30) as it continues to fight against Russia in its three-year-long conflict. She was asked to fly to the nation by the Government to show the strength and solidarity that the UK has with Ukraine . While she was in the capital Kyiv on the one-day trip, the royal sought to look at how the deadly war has impacted children’s lives as the war continue to grind on. It comes as a peace deal between Russia and Ukraine looks increasingly less likely. The Royal Family confirmed that she took a quick tour of the city which was guided by Zelenskyy himself. She also paid a visit to St Sofia’s Cathedral, one of the most defining buildings of the city, as a mark of respect to those who have died during the brutal war. She also paid her respects at a memorial for the children killed during the course of the bloody conflict, which was led by Lady Zelenska, the Ukrainian President’s wife. Laying a teddy bear at the memorial site, Princess Anne appeared choked up as she spared a thought to the young people who have been affected. On top of this, the royal met with several female police officers and representatives of the Ukrainian army, hearing about how women are playing a vital role in helping to defeat Russian President Vladimir Putin and his forces. They also spoke on the need to protect children from the effects of war. She was also told about Russia’s alleged abduction of Ukrainian children since the war began back in 2022. Figures show that an estimated 19,500 kids have been forcibly transferred to Russia during the war, an act which has been designated a war crime. However, visiting a centre to help protect children’s rights, she heard for herself how families have been reunited and reintegrated back into Ukraine after facing the harrowing threat of Russian assimilation. She also met with military veterans at a rehabilitation centre, and paid tribute to those giving their lives on the frontline to ensure a free Ukraine. The princess finished off her whistle-stop tour of Kyiv by visiting an exhibition of culture from Kherson, a city that was temporarily occupied by Russian forces at the beginning of the war. There, she learned about the city’s liberation from Russian troops and how the UK is helping to maintain Ukraine’s fight for independence and help besieged communities recover once fighting has stopped. Her visit came just after Putin ordered another 135,000 people to join the army as the Kremlin ramps up its bombardment of Ukrainian cities. The mobilisation will include all people aged between 18 and 30 who have not already been in the army reserves. Meanwhile, tensions between Russia and the West continue to grow following a series of Russian incursions into NATO territory. NATO members are now bolstering their security on the eastern flank, while Moscow has strongly denied any incursions, blaming the western military alliance for inflaming tensions. For the latest breaking news and stories from across the globe from the Daily Star, sign up for our newsletters .