As UK counts pennies, Ukrainians count casualties - Zelenska

The economic impact of the war in Ukraine is tough on its allies, but as Britons "count pennies," Ukrainians "count casualties."

That’s according to Ukraine’s First Lady Olena Zelenska, who spoke in an interview with the BBC on Sunday, Ukrinform reports.

In an interview recorded in Kyiv, she also said it was important to keep highlighting the human toll of the war.

"I understand the situation is very tough. But let me recall that at the time of the Covid-19 epidemic, and it's still with us, when there were price hikes, Ukraine was affected as well. The prices are going up in Ukraine as well. But in addition our people get killed. So when you start counting pennies on your bank account or in your pocket, we do the same and count our casualties," Zelenska said, commenting on the issue of price hikes in the UK, including due to the ongoing Russian war in Ukraine.

Zelenska said it was hard for people outside Ukraine to understand the impact of the war on its people but it was important to share human stories about the toll the conflict was taking.

"That's why we have to tell these stories, to show these stories, because these are the faces of a war. Not the number of bombs dropped, not the amount of money spent, human stories."

The First Lady also noted that, if international support for Ukraine was strong, the war would be shorter.

According to the BBC, this year’s inflation in the UK is projected to hit a 42-year high of 13.3%.