Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said Wednesday that 55,000 Ukrainian soldiers have been killed since Russia's full-scale invasion began in early 2022, adding that a "large number" are missing.
"In Ukraine, officially, on the battlefield, the number of soldiers killed — whether career soldiers or mobilised — is 55,000," Zelenskyy told France 2 television in a pre-recorded interview broadcast Wednesday.
Zelenskyy previously cited 46,000 Ukrainian soldiers killed in an interview with NBC in February 2025, and 31,000 killed in February 2024.
That figure is believed to be significantly higher, according to estimates by several independent research centres.
According to the Centre for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS) in Washington, the estimate ranges between 100,000 and 140,000 killed since the start of Russia's full-scale invasion in early 2022.
As new trilateral talks are under way in Abu Dhabi, Zelenskyy denounced what he described as a pressure campaign by Moscow.
Zelenskyy said Russia "wants to inflict more suffering on Ukrainians so that they accept what our American friends call a 'compromise'", adding "this is in reality an ultimatum from the Kremlin".
'If we lose this war, we lose our independence'
The talks followed Russia's largest aerial attack on Ukraine this winter. Russia launched 71 missiles and 450 drones on Tuesday, targeting energy infrastructure as temperatures dropped close to -20°C in some areas.
Two people were killed Wednesday in a drone attack in Ukraine's Dnipropetrovsk region.
"If we lose this war, we will quite simply lose our country's independence," Zelenskyy said.
Asked about the role of Western allies, Zelenskyy spoke about his relationship with French President Emmanuel Macron.
“We are good friends... He called me to tell me that he was thinking about resuming dialogue with the Russians. He knows what I think. Putin’s interest is to humiliate Europe. But it is very important that Emmanuel works to bring peace. It will be beneficial for the whole world if there is no more war in Ukraine.”
Putin 'is afraid of Trump', but 'not of Europeans'
The Ukrainian president also shared his assessment of the balance of power between Moscow and Western countries.
If Russian President Vladimir Putin “is not afraid of Europeans,” Zelenskyy argued, it is because “Europeans lived in a wonderful, secure world that they built themselves.”
“Europe is very democratic... That is precisely why Ukraine is choosing the path towards Europe,” he said, referring to Kyiv’s ambition to join the European Union by 2027.
In contrast, Zelenskyy believes the Kremlin “is afraid of (US President Donald) Trump,” arguing that the US president has “means of pressure through the economy, through sanctions, through weapons.”
On Tuesday, Trump had called on Putin to “end the war,” following the massive strikes on Kyiv these past few days.
Finally, Zelenskyy stressed that the war in Ukraine has consequences beyond his country’s borders.
“Ukraine’s neighbouring countries understand that they will be Putin’s next victims, that Russia will advance,” he warned.
“Those in Europe who have understood this are helping Ukraine very effectively... We are all fighting to defend the European way of life.”
The EU on Wednesday opened the door to the purchase of additional UK-made weapons for Ukraine, as part of a €90 billion loan that 24 member states want to make available to Kyiv.
The bloc’s 27 countries have agreed to allow certain non-EU states, such as the United Kingdom, to take part in the scheme in exchange for a financial contribution.
