France, Feb. 5 -- The conflict is Europe's deadliest since the Second World War, with hundreds of thousands of people killed, millions forced to flee their homes and much of eastern and southern Ukraine left decimated.

Underscoring the human toll, Zelensky told France 2 journalist Lea Salame on Wednesday that 55,000 of his country's troops had been killed, a rare assessment of battlefield losses by either side.

"And there are a great number Ukraine lists as missing," he said, through translated comments.

While denying that he was trying to scare anyone, the Ukrainian leader issued a blunt warning to European countries.

"Life in Europe is cool, it's nice... That's why I say we are all fighting to defend this way of life," he said. "But...