{"id":2572651,"date":"2026-02-23T14:35:01","date_gmt":"2026-02-23T19:35:01","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/zelensky-accuses-putin-of-starting-world-war-iii-ahead-of-four-year-anniversary-of-invasion\/"},"modified":"2026-02-23T14:36:45","modified_gmt":"2026-02-23T19:36:45","slug":"zelensky-accuses-putin-of-starting-world-war-iii-ahead-of-four-year-anniversary-of-invasion","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/zelensky-accuses-putin-of-starting-world-war-iii-ahead-of-four-year-anniversary-of-invasion\/","title":{"rendered":"Zelensky accuses Putin of starting World War III ahead of four-year anniversary of invasion"},"content":{"rendered":"<aside class=\"mashsb-container mashsb-main mashsb-stretched\"><div class=\"mashsb-box\"><div class=\"mashsb-count mash-medium\" style=\"&quot;\"><div class=\"counts mashsbcount\">28<\/div><span class=\"mashsb-sharetext\">SHARES<\/span><\/div><div class=\"mashsb-buttons\"><a class=\"mashicon-facebook mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.conservativenewsdaily.net%2Fbreaking-news%2Fzelensky-accuses-putin-of-starting-world-war-iii-ahead-of-four-year-anniversary-of-invasion%2F\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Facebook<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-twitter mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/intent\/tweet?text=&amp;url=https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/?p=2572651&amp;via=ConservNewsDly\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Twitter<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-subscribe mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"#\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Subscribe<\/span><\/a><div class=\"onoffswitch2 mash-medium mashsb-noshadow\" style=\"display:none\"><\/div><\/div>\n            <\/div>\n                <div style=\"clear:both\"><\/div><\/aside>\n            <!-- Share buttons by mashshare.net - Version: 4.0.47--><p>Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has accused Vladimir Putin of starting World War III as Russia\u2019s <a href=\"https:\/\/amzn.to\/3YuVZYV\" ><a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/6-major-things-biden-failed-to-address-in-his-speech-to-congress\/\" title=\"6 Major Things Biden Failed To Address In His Speech To Congress\">full-scale invasion<\/a> reaches<\/a> its four-year anniversary, warning that Putin will not stop with Ukraine and that the conflict could expand further. The report notes the war is the largest and deadliest land conflict in Europe sence World War II. It cites heavy casualties on both sides\u2014Russia has suffered around 1.2 million casualties with estimates that total losses could reach up to 2 million by spring, including as many as 325,000 killed, while Ukraine has endured roughly 500,000\u2013600,000 wounded and 100,000\u2013140,000 killed. Russia currently occupies about 20% of Ukrainian territory; in Donbas, Moscow has gained control of most of Luhansk and Ukraine retains only about 20% of Donetsk. Beyond the front lines, Russia has continued long-range strikes on Ukraine\u2019s energy infrastructure. Western militaries have provided equipment but not direct combat involvement, while Moscow has pursued support from North Korea and Iran. Simultaneously occurring, Putin marked Defender of the Fatherland Day by visiting the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier in Moscow.  <\/p>\n<p class=\"readmore\">\n    <button onclick=\"showReadMore()\" id=\"readmorebtn\">Read more&#8230;<\/button>\n<\/p>\n<hr id=\"line\">\n<span id=\"more\"><\/p>\n<p><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><\/p>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><span class=\"tdb-mobile-menu-button\"><i class=\"tdb-mobile-menu-icon td-icon-mobile\"><\/i><\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><span class=\"tdb-header-search-button-mob dropdown-toggle\" data-toggle=\"dropdown\"><i class=\"tdb-mobile-search-icon td-icon-search\"><\/i><\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><span class=\"tdb-mobile-menu-button\"><i class=\"tdb-mobile-menu-icon td-icon-mobile\"><\/i><\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\">\n<div class=\"tdb-drop-down-search\" aria-labelledby=\"td-header-search-button\">\n<div class=\"tdb-drop-down-search-inner\">\n<form method=\"get\" class=\"tdb-search-form\" action=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/\"><\/form>\n<div class=\"tdb-aj-search\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p><a href=\"http:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/#\" role=\"button\" aria-label=\"Search\" class=\"tdb-head-search-btn dropdown-toggle\" data-toggle=\"dropdown\"><i class=\"tdb-search-icon td-icon-search\"><\/i><\/a><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\">\n<h1 class=\"tdb-title-text\">Zelensky accuses Putin of starting World War III ahead of four-year anniversary of invasion<\/h1>\n<div><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-title-line\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\">\n<div id=\"Brid_2493469\" class=\"tpd-featured-video bridtv\"><\/div>\n<p><a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/ukraine\">Ukrainian<\/a> President <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/volodymyr-zelensky\">Volodymyr Zelensky<\/a> accused Russian leader <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/vladimir-putin\">Vladimir Putin <\/a>of starting World War III when he launched the full-scale invasion almost exactly four years ago and that he will not stop on his own.<\/p>\n<p>Tuesday marks the four-year anniversary of Russia&rsquo;s full-scale invasion of its smaller neighbor in what has become the largest and most deadly land war in Europe since the end of World War II.<\/p>\n<div class=\"recommended-stories\">\n<h2>Recommended Stories<\/h2>\n<ul>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/policy\/defense\/4465421\/biggest-dilemma-counter-drone-technology-threats\/\">&#8216;Biggest dilemma&#8217; in homeland counter drone strategy is &#8216;how broad the threat exists&#8217;<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/policy\/defense\/4457632\/ordinary-ukrainians-suffer-negotiation-four-year-anniversary\/\">Ordinary Ukrainians suffer without negotiation breakthroughs as four-year anniversary approaches<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/policy\/defense\/4465848\/army-first-drone-warfighter-competition-crowns-winners\/\">Army&#8217;s first drone warfighter competition crowns winners<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"article-paywall\">\n<p>&ldquo;I believe that Putin has already started it,&rdquo; Zelensky told the <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.bbc.com\/news\/articles\/cvgj9p15y87o\">BBC<\/a> in an interview, referencing the next world war. &ldquo;The question is how much territory he will be able to seize and how to stop him. &hellip; Putin will not stop at Ukraine.&rdquo;<\/p>\n<p>Even though the United States has brokered talks between Russia and Ukraine, a lack of progress in those negotiations means the war will be entering its fifth year without a clear, viable end in sight. The Trump administration has pushed for a negotiated end to the conflict, whereas it was the previous administration&rsquo;s policy to prioritize Ukraine&rsquo;s defense over forcing it to make concessions to end the war.<\/p>\n<p>Russian forces have suffered nearly 1.2 million casualties, while the current combined casualty rates indicate the total casualty count could reach 2 million by this spring, and as many as 325,000 troops killed, according to a January <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.csis.org\/analysis\/russias-grinding-war-ukraine\">report<\/a> from the Center for Strategic and International Studies. Comparatively, Ukraine&rsquo;s military is believed to have suffered between 500,000 and 600,000 casualties and between 100,000 and 140,000 fatalities from February 2022 through the end of 2025, per the report.<\/p>\n<p>Despite the much higher casualty and fatality counts, Putin has not shown an interest in ending the war, instead prioritizing limited battlefield victories in exchange for those tallies.<\/p>\n<p>To date, Russia is occupying roughly 20% of Ukrainian territory, though most experts at the start of the full-scale invasion thought Russia&rsquo;s military would be able to overthrow the Zelensky government and install a more pro-Russian replacement in a matter of weeks. After being repelled by Ukraine&rsquo;s rag-tag military in the early stages of the war, Russia shifted its war objectives to trying to conquer the eastern Ukrainian territory known as the Donbas.<\/p>\n<p>Even after multiple years of trying to capture the Donbas, which consists of the Donetsk and Luhansk oblasts,&nbsp;Russian forces currently hold almost the entirety of Luhansk, while the Ukrainian military has managed to retain control over approximately 20% of the territory in Donetsk.<\/p>\n<p><strong><a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/policy\/defense\/4457632\/ordinary-ukrainians-suffer-negotiation-four-year-anniversary\/\">ORDINARY UKRAINIANS SUFFER WITHOUT NEGOTIATION BREAKTHROUGHS AS FOUR-YEAR ANNIVERSARY APPROACHES<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Russia has simultaneously also carried out <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/russian-missile-attack-kills-21-near-odesa-in-ukraine\/\" title=\"Russian Missile Attack Kills 21 Near Odesa in ...\">long-range attacks<\/a> far from the front lines, targeting Ukraine&rsquo;s energy infrastructure amid a brutal winter to try and inflict as much pain on the population as possible.<\/p>\n<p>While Russia&rsquo;s military is currently focused on eastern Ukraine, there are officials in the U.S. and Europe who believe Putin has his sights set on much bigger goals in Europe, not all of which are military specific.<\/p>\n<p>Even if Ukraine agrees to give up the Donbas, which Zelensky has said he wouldn&rsquo;t, Russia has also demanded additional Ukrainian concessions that would leave them vulnerable to a new Russian attack at the time and place of their choosing. <\/p>\n<p>No Western militaries have gotten directly involved in the conflict, only supporting them by providing military equipment for Ukraine&rsquo;s Armed Forces to use, while Russia has sought assistance from both North Korea and Iran for support.<\/p>\n<p>Putin, for his part, honored Russia&rsquo;s Defender of the Fatherland Day by visiting the Tomb of the Unknown Soldiers in Moscow on Monday, a day ahead of the anniversary.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><\/div>\n<p><\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Zelensky says Putin started WWIII before anniversary<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2671,"featured_media":2572652,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_mo_disable_npp":"","fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/image-collage-xvg7gml0q-1770289169983-e1770289218481.jpg?1771854918&amp;w=696","fifu_image_alt":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[],"tags":[3733,4280,6991,8630],"class_list":["post-2572651","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","tag-putin","tag-russia","tag-ukraine","tag-zelensky"],"fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/image-collage-xvg7gml0q-1770289169983-e1770289218481.jpg?1771854918&amp;w=696","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2572651","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2671"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2572651"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2572651\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":2572655,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2572651\/revisions\/2572655"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/2572652"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2572651"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2572651"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2572651"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}