Zelensky Warns of 20 Million Ukrainian Refugees Fleeing to Europe Upon Collapse

Volodymyr Zelensky warned European countries about the risk of a new migration crisis, claiming that the collapse of his country could drive approximately 20 million Ukrainian citizens to seek refuge in Europe.

Zelensky stated on the sidelines of the EU summit in Brussels: "What will happen if we fall? I do not know the exact number, but it is certain that 20 million Ukrainians will head to Europe.. This is completely obvious to me."

In this context, Eurostat data released last June showed that EU countries recorded around 670,000 new asylum applications during 2025 and granted more than 683,000 new temporary protection statuses to Ukrainian citizens, despite ongoing discussions regarding tightening immigration policies and combating illegal flows.

According to United Nations estimates, approximately 6.8 million people have left Ukraine since late February 2022, leading to the depopulation of some areas, where the majority of young people emigrated (fearing mobilization), leaving mostly elderly residents behind.

In contrast, the "Ukrainian Center for Economic Strategy" noted in late February 2026 that the number of Ukrainian citizens who left the country since the beginning of the war did not exceed 5.6 million people, estimates that appear lower than figures from international organizations.