Europe may face 20 million more Ukrainian refugees if Russia wins war, Zelenskyy warns
Volodymyr Zelenskyy (photo: facebook_com_zelenskyy_official)
President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has warned that up to 20 million Ukrainians could flee to Europe if Russia establishes control over Ukraine. He said Russia continues to kill Ukrainians and drive them out of their own country, Politico reports.
"Russia is killing us," the president said at a press conference during a European Union leaders' summit. He added that Ukrainians were being "pushed out" of their country.
Zelenskyy also said that Moscow had no intention of stopping.
How many Ukrainians have already fled to Europe
The outlet notes that millions of Ukrainians have left their homes since Russia launched its full-scale invasion. This has become Europe's largest migration crisis since World War II.
According to Eurostat, more than 4 million Ukrainians currently live in EU countries under temporary protection. Germany, Poland, and the Czech Republic have taken in the largest numbers of Ukrainian refugees.
Zelenskyy's warning comes as Ukraine faces another harsh winter of war, accompanied by Russian attacks.
What financial challenges is Kyiv facing?
Politico notes that, beyond military threats, Ukraine faces serious budgetary pressure. International Monetary Fund projections say the country's state budget deficit could reach $30 billion to $35 billion next year.
This is happening despite the European Union's €90 billion loan to support Ukraine.
The media emphasizes that although the EU remains one of Ukraine's key partners, European countries must also address other challenges.
These include rising energy prices, upcoming elections, geopolitical crises, and disagreements over the European Union's long-term €2 trillion budget.
Under these circumstances, continued financial assistance to Ukraine remains one of the key issues on European leaders' agendas.
