President Donald Trump said Saturday that 25,000 people were killed last month in the Ukraine-Russia war, and 32,000 the previous month, as he spoke to reporters on the White House lawn.
“Last month, 25,000 people died in the Ukraine-Russia war,” Trump said, adding that the month before saw 32,000 deaths, mostly soldiers. He called the losses a shame and referenced even higher figures two months prior.
According to the Center for Strategic and International Studies, Russia alone has lost as many as 450,000 soldiers since its 2022 invasion of Ukraine.
Trump said he wants the fighting to end soon and recently spoke with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy. He described both Zelenskyy and Russian President Vladimir Putin as moving toward talks and expressed hope that a deal could be reached before winter.
Trump said he has pressed Zelenskyy to seek a settlement with Putin. “I want him to settle with Putin, and I want Putin to settle with him,” he told reporters.
Zelenskyy announced Friday that Trump agreed to allow Ukraine to license and produce U.S. Patriot missile interceptors. The Ukrainian leader said there are concrete agreements on the licenses and that Trump had made a final decision to approve them. Trump had previously hesitated to grant those permissions.
Ukraine-Russia war casualties and diplomacy
Trump’s comments underscored the scale of losses in the Ukraine-Russia war and his push for a negotiated end. He said he has spoken extensively with Zelenskyy, and suggested both Kyiv and Moscow are engaging on potential terms for an agreement.
The White House was contacted for comment.
