KYIV -- Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy on February 25 said that 31,000 Ukrainian troops have been killed since the start of Russia’s invasion two years ago -- his first official acknowledgement of the country’s combat losses -- while expressing hopes that a summit of world leaders will be held in Switzerland in the coming months to discuss his vision for peace.
"Thirty-one thousand Ukrainian military personnel have been killed in this war," Zelenskiy told a news conference in the Ukrainian capital marking the two-year anniversary of Russia’s full-scale invasion, which began on February 24, 2022.
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“Not 300,000, not 150,000, not whatever [Russian President Vladimir] Putin and his deceitful circle have been lying about. But nevertheless, each of these losses is a great sacrifice for us," he said.
Zelenskiy said he would not discuss the number of wounded, citing security reasons.
The number appears to be the first official detailing of the death toll for Ukrainian soldiers, although the figure cannot be independently verified. The last time Kyiv spoke of the number of combat losses was at the end of 2022, when presidential aide Mykhaylo Podolyak said 10,000 to 13,000 Ukrainian soldiers had been killed.
The New York Times in August 2023, citing unidentified U.S. officials, reported that 70,000 Ukrainian soldiers had been killed and 100,000 to 120,000 had been wounded by that date. The report also said Russia had suffered 120,000 troops killed and 170,000 to 180,000 injured.
Zelenskiy claimed Russia has lost 180,000 soldiers killed and 500,000 wounded in the war, figures much higher than other estimates but impossible to confirm. Russia does not disclose its war losses.
On February 24, Swiss President Viola Amherd said neutral Switzerland hopes to host a senior-level peace conference in the next few months.
"I hope it [a summit] will take place this spring. We must not lose this diplomatic initiative," Zelenskiy said.
He added that he expected the resulting peace initiative to be presented to Moscow.
Zelenskiy said Ukraine's victory in the war depends on continued Western support, which has faced resistance mainly from Republican Party lawmakers in the United States.
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Zelenskiy Says 31,000 Ukrainian Soldiers Killed Since Start Of Russia's Full-Scale Invasion
He told the news conference that he is "sure" a crucially needed aid package will eventually be approved in the U.S. Congress.
"Whether Ukraine will lose, whether it will be very difficult for us, and whether there will be a large number of casualties depends on you, on our partners, on the Western world," Zelenskiy said.
He said that "there is hope for Congress. And I am sure that it is going to be positive. Otherwise, I couldn't conceive of the world we would begin to live in."
Zelenskiy urged his citizens to remain unified despite the hardships caused by the Russian invasion.
"Now is the most difficult moment for our unity. If we all fall apart, from the outside and God forbid inside, then this will be the weakest moment. It has not happened yet," he said.
Zelenskiy has faced pressures from within the country, as well as from foreign sources, for the perceived lack of progress by Ukraine’s forces in recent months.
He insisted there is a "clear path" forward for a new offensive but said he would not publicly discuss the matter, claiming the Kremlin was able to get details of Ukraine's previous counteroffensive plan before it began.
"Our counteroffensive action plans were on the Kremlin's table before the counteroffensive actions began...because of information leaks," he said.