Three years of hell in Ukraine: Zelensky, Putin and thousands of victims after an eternal February 24, 2022

The war in Ukraine began on February 24, 2022. Described by Russian President Vladimir Putin as a "special military operation", Russia launched attacks on various cities in the neighboring country. Volodymyr Zelenskyy, his Ukrainian counterpart, declared martial law and since then the conflict has only escalated to leave an alarming number of victims.

The geopolitical tension caused by the conflict is enormous. The initial collaboration of the United States, with the Biden istration, has changed to a more inquisitive tone from the current president, Donald Trump. The European Union is aware of the new position of the US, conscious of the change in the world stage. The war, despite everything, seems to have entered its final phase.

Tens of thousands of victims

The death toll in the Ukraine war is not exact and varies greatly depending on the source consulted. All, however, agree that the human drama is enormous. President Donald Trump pointed out two weeks ago that according to his intelligence services, 700,000 Ukrainian soldiers and 800,000 Russians have died since the beginning of the war.

The consequences of the conflict go beyond the battlefield. According to the UN, since February 22, 2022, there are seven million Ukrainian refugees, who have changed their homes for, mostly, European countries. Another four million have been displaced within the country's borders. A total of 12,600 civilians have died, 700 of them minors.

Russia controls 20 percent of the territory

Vladimir Putin's army currently occupies 20 percent of Ukraine's territory: Crimea, Luhansk, Zaporizhzhia, Donetsk and Kherson. Although talks between all parties have begun and the end of the conflict seems to be in sight, military tension has not eased in recent weeks. Attacks on the front line continue, with the relentless loss of life

Donald Trump, economic debt and rare earths

The arrival of Donald Trump to the presidency of the United States has changed the world stage. The Republican istration has met with a negotiating team from its Russian counterpart, Vladimir Putin, to find an end to the conflict. Trump has called Zelensky a "dictator" and urged him to lay down his arms if he wants to keep his country afloat.

In addition, the president of the United States has openly insisted that he wants to recover the economic aid that his government, during the mandate of Joe Biden, lent to Ukraine. This is where so-called rare earths come into play, critical materials for the development of high technology, of which Zelensky's country has five percent of the planet.

The European Union s Zelensky

In response to this diplomatic shift, the European Union has stepped up and publicly underlined its for Zelensky. In fact, on Monday a EU delegation traveled to Ukraine composed of the President of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen, the President of the European Council, Antonio Costa, and a large number of European leaders, such as Pedro Sanchez.

Zelensky, his resignation and NATO

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, for his part, has said that he is willing to leave his seat in the government of Ukraine if his country s NATO and if this move means achieving peace. "I have no intention of clinging to power for decades," he said recently at the Ukraine 2025 forum.