- Former US President Obama warned that Russia's war in Ukraine is "far from over."
- Speaking at the Copenhagen Democracy Summit on Friday, he said the costs will "continue to mount."
- According to Ukrainian officials, hundreds of troops on both sides are dying every day.
Former US President Barack Obama on Friday cautioned that Russia's ongoing war against Ukraine will not end anytime soon and warned it will have far-reaching consequences.
"Make no mistake, this war is far from over. The costs will continue to mount," Obama said during a speech at the Copenhagen Democracy Summit on Friday, adding that the trajectory of the war remains unpredictable and urged the world to remain "strong, steadfast and sustained" in its support until the conflict ends.
Obama praised the fierce resistance of Ukrainian forces and civilians against the aggression of Russian troops, citing their "courage" as a reason that President Vladimir Putin has been unable to achieve his desired strategic objectives within the eastern European country.
"They've united to defend not just their sovereignty, but their democratic identity," he said. "Their actions have rallied much of the world behind the values of self-determination and human dignity — it's inspiring."
The war, Obama said, has turned Russia into an international pariah — cutting the country off from resources and forcing its "best and brightest" to leave.
Obama's warning, however, underscores the current status of the 15-week-long war, which has become a slow-moving, scorched-earth, and bloody campaign in Ukraine's eastern Donbas region.
Ukraine said earlier this week that over 40,000 civilians have been killed or injured since the February 24 invasion — a figure much higher than the latest United Nations tally of roughly 9,500 casualties.
The UN, however, has warned in all its casualty reports that it "believes that the actual figures are considerably higher, as the receipt of information from some locations where intense hostilities have been going on has been delayed and many reports are still pending corroboration."
Meanwhile, on the battlefield, officials have said both Ukraine and Russia are losing hundreds of troops each day.
This story is developing. Please check back for updates.
