Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy asserted in a stark interview published on Sunday, February 22, 2026, that Russian President Vladimir Putin "has already started" World War Three, framing the ongoing invasion of Ukraine as the opening phase of a broader global conflict that will not end at Kyiv's borders unless decisively stopped.
Speaking to the BBC in Kyiv, Zelenskyy responded directly to a question about whether the war constituted the beginning of a third world war. "I believe that Putin has already started it," he said. "The question is how much territory he will be able to seize and how to stop him." He emphasized that preventing further Russian territorial gains and ultimately halting the invasion represents a victory not only for Ukraine but for the entire international community. "Stopping Putin today and preventing him from occupying Ukraine is a victory for the whole world," Zelenskyy declared. "Because Putin will not stop at Ukraine."
The Ukrainian leader rejected any suggestion that ceding the approximately 20% of Donetsk region still under Ukrainian control—but claimed and partially occupied by Russia—could serve as a reasonable basis for a ceasefire. He rejected viewing the issue purely in territorial terms. "I see it as abandonment—weakening our positions, abandoning hundreds of thousands of our people who live there," he explained. "That is how I see it. And I am sure that this 'withdrawal' would divide our society."
Zelenskyy reiterated Ukraine's unwavering commitment to recovering all occupied territories, describing it as "absolutely clear" and "only a matter of time." However, he cautioned against rushing large-scale offensives under current conditions. "To do it today would mean losing a huge number of people—millions of people—because the [Russian] army is large, and we understand the cost of such steps," he said. "You would not have enough people; you would be losing them. And what is land without people? Honestly, nothing."
He highlighted severe shortages in critical military capabilities, particularly air defense systems, as the primary obstacle to faster progress. "The most difficult problem" today, Zelenskyy stated, is the lack of sufficient air defense coverage. "Unfortunately, our partners still do not grant licenses for us to produce systems ourselves, for example, Patriot systems, or even missiles for the systems we already have," he noted. "So far, we have not achieved success in this."
The comments reflect Ukraine's persistent frustration with the pace and scope of Western military assistance more than three years into Russia's full-scale invasion, which began on February 24, 2022. Despite substantial aid packages from the United States, European Union countries, and other allies—including advanced artillery, tanks, long-range missiles, and air defense batteries—Kyiv has repeatedly called for faster delivery, fewer restrictions on weapon use, and greater support for domestic production.
Zelenskyy's invocation of World War Three echoes earlier warnings from Ukrainian, Baltic, and Polish officials who have described Putin's actions as testing the post-1945 European security order. The Ukrainian president has long argued that concessions to Moscow—whether territorial, political, or security-related—would only embolden further aggression, potentially targeting NATO members in Eastern Europe.
Russia, for its part, continues to frame its "special military operation" as defensive, aimed at "denazification" and "demilitarization" of Ukraine, protection of Russian-speaking populations, and prevention of NATO expansion. Moscow has rejected ceasefire proposals that do not include Ukrainian recognition of its annexation of Crimea (2014) and the four partially occupied regions declared annexed in September 2022 (Donetsk, Luhansk, Zaporizhzhia, and Kherson).
The interview arrives amid a complex battlefield situation. Russian forces have made incremental gains in eastern Donetsk and other fronts in recent months, though at enormous cost in personnel and equipment. Ukraine has conducted successful long-range strikes deep into Russian territory and maintained resilient drone and missile defenses, but shortages in artillery shells, air defense interceptors, and manpower remain acute. Mobilization efforts continue, with recent expansions of conscription age limits and incentives, yet Zelenskyy acknowledged the human limits of sustained high-intensity warfare.
Western partners have provided over $200 billion in military, financial, and humanitarian aid since 2022, but political divisions—particularly in the United States under the second Trump administration—have introduced uncertainty. Trump has repeatedly called for a swift negotiated end to the war, criticizing prolonged US involvement and urging both sides toward compromise. European capitals, meanwhile, have pledged continued support, with recent commitments including additional air defense systems from Germany, the Netherlands, and others.
Zelenskyy's call for enhanced military and economic pressure aligns with Kyiv's strategy of maintaining battlefield resilience while pushing for stronger sanctions on Russia's energy revenues, technology transfers, and shadow fleet of oil tankers. He has consistently maintained that only sustained pressure—combined with credible deterrence—can force Moscow to the negotiating table on terms acceptable to Ukraine.
As the conflict enters its fifth year, Zelenskyy's framing of the war as an already-begun global struggle serves as both a warning to the international community and a rallying cry for greater solidarity. Whether his appeal translates into accelerated deliveries of Patriot systems, license production agreements, or broader economic measures against Russia will likely shape the trajectory of the fighting in the months ahead.
