Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy delivered a stark warning at a press conference during the European Union leaders' summit: if Russia establishes control over Ukraine, up to 20 million Ukrainian citizens could flee to European countries. According to the head of state, Russia continues to kill Ukrainians and displace them from their own country, while Moscow, in his assessment, has no intention of stopping.
"Russia is killing us": Zelenskyy's statement at the EU summit
Speaking before European leaders, Zelenskyy emphasized that Russia's military aggression against Ukraine is systemic. "Russia is killing us," the president stated, adding that Ukrainians are being "forced out" of their country. The warning came against the backdrop of another difficult wartime winter accompanied by massive Russian shelling of Ukrainian territories. Zelenskyy explicitly pointed out that, in his estimation, Moscow has no intention of halting its offensive operations and pursuing control over Ukrainian territory.
The migration crisis: Figures and context
The publication recalls that since the start of Russia's full-scale invasion, millions of Ukrainians have left their homes. This has become the largest migration crisis in Europe since World War II. According to Eurostat data, currently more than 4 million Ukrainians are residing in EU countries under temporary protection status. The leaders in accepting Ukrainian refugees remain Germany, Poland, and the Czech Republic. RBC-Ukraine also noted that in June the number of people from Ukraine under temporary protection in the EU increased, while three countries showed opposite dynamics.
Budgetary pressure and the wartime winter
In addition to direct military threats, Ukraine is experiencing severe pressure on its state budget. According to International Monetary Fund projections, next year the country's state budget deficit could range from $30 billion to $35 billion. This situation persists despite the EU-agreed €90 billion loan designed to support Ukraine's economy amidst the war. Military expenses, infrastructure reconstruction, and social obligations create an unprecedented burden on state finances.
The EU facing a dilemma: Aid to Ukraine and internal problems
Politico emphasizes that while the EU remains one of Ukraine's key partners, European countries must simultaneously address a number of acute internal problems. Among them are rising energy prices, upcoming elections in several member states, geopolitical crises, and disagreements surrounding the EU's €2 trillion long-term budget. Under these conditions, further financial assistance to Ukraine remains an important but not the sole item on the European leaders' agenda, creating additional risks for the sustainability of support for Kyiv.
Ukraine's population: Assessment under wartime conditions
As reported, due to the war in Ukraine, there is no reliable official data on the population size. However, methodological approaches exist that allow for highly accurate estimation based on indirect indicators—migration flows, temporary protection data, internally displaced person statistics, and demographic models. Such calculations likely form the basis of Zelenskyy's forecast regarding a potential exodus of up to 20 million people in the worst-case scenario.
