German Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul stated that Ukrainian men of conscription age who are in the country must return to Ukraine. Berlin, he said, can assist Kyiv in identifying who among them lives in Germany. Earlier, Germany and Ukraine had already established a group for the return of Ukrainian men. This is reported by Reuters.
Wadephul called on Ukrainian men to return from Germany
Wadephul made the statement in an interview with the German newspaper Bild. The head of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs emphasized that this concerns Ukrainian men of conscription age who are currently on the territory of Germany.
According to the minister, the German authorities have information about individuals who officially reside in the country, are registered at their place of residence, receive social assistance, or have the appropriate residency status.
«Ultimately, we know who lives here, who, for example, receives social benefits or who is registered here, and who has resident status,» Wadephul said.
The minister added that Berlin can assist the Ukrainian government in identifying these citizens. At the same time, Reuters does not provide Wadephul's statements about specific mechanisms for data transfer, forced return, or deportation of Ukrainians.
It is an important clarification: the words of the head of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs are a political statement about the necessity of returning men, but do not in themselves signify the introduction of a procedure for the forced sending of Ukrainian citizens home.
The discussion takes place against the backdrop of a gradual tightening of migration policy. In particular, for newly arrived Ukrainian men in Germany, the rules of temporary protection have been changed.
What else Wadephul said about supporting Ukraine
In the interview, the minister also raised the issue of German military assistance to Ukraine. He called on Kyiv to actively purchase weapons from German producers.
Wadephul explained this by saying that Germany is the largest donor to Ukraine among European countries and Berlin expects greater participation of its own defense-industrial complex in Ukrainian procurements.
«Currently, we are not entirely satisfied with the level of orders we are receiving in Germany,» said the head of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
According to him, during his visit to Ukraine in August, he assured President Volodymyr Zelensky that Germany would continue to support the country in its war against Russia.
Wadephul's statements demonstrate two directions of discussion in Berlin: the continuation of military support for Ukraine and an increasingly restrictive approach to the presence in Germany of Ukrainian men who are potentially subject to military service.
It should be noted that earlier Inkorr reported that in Germany the rules for social benefits for Ukrainians and other recipients of basic assistance have been tightened.