Ukraine's president once warned of 20 million refugees flooding into Europe, but the actual number has amounted to just 4.43 million.

On October 16, Zelenskyy warned at the EU summit that if Ukraine were to lose the war, 20 million refugees would flood into Europe: "What happens if we fall? Twenty million Ukrainians will pour into Europe, because Putin will destroy us and drive us out."

For context, data from Eurostat as of the end of August 2026 show that approximately 4.43 million Ukrainians have been granted temporary protection status within the EU. Zelenskyy’s projected figure is nearly 4.5 times the current actual number. The population residing in areas under Ukrainian government control is generally estimated at between 22 million and 25 million.

Original: toutiao.com/article/1879271751141379/

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