Speaking in Brussels on Friday, Volodymyr Zelenskyy presented a grim scenario to EU leaders: if Ukraine loses the war, more than 20 million people could be displaced and head toward the Community's member states. Quoted by "The Guardian," the Ukrainian president noted that Russian forces are advancing and killing people, and that Vladimir Putin "will never have enough."
Eurostat data shows that approximately 4 million Ukrainian refugees are currently under temporary protection in EU countries. The largest numbers have been hosted by Germany, Poland, and the Czech Republic, respectively.
The scale of a potential exodus is illustrated by demographic statistics. As reported in July by the Institute for Demography and Quality of Life Studies at the National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine, about 29 million people live in areas currently controlled by Kyiv. Before the full-scale Russian aggression, the country's population was approximately 42 million.
Zelenskyy's alarmist tone coincided with dramatic news regarding the state of Ukrainian finances. European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen announced on Thursday that Ukraine's budget deficit will reach approximately 70 billion euros next year. Such a massive hole in the state treasury will emerge despite the EU loan of 90 billion euros for 2026–2027 approved in April.
Sources
- Polsat News: Zelenskyy warns EU countries: "Over 20 million Ukrainians may leave"
- RMF24: Zelenskyy sounds the alarm: 20 million Ukrainians may leave. Russia is killing us
- WP Wiadomości: Over 20 million Ukrainians. Zelenskyy warns of mass migration
Article prepared with the help of artificial intelligence based on: Polsat News, RMF24, WP Wiadomości. Facts checked automatically against these sources. The Wiadomości PRO newsroom is responsible for this publication.
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