Merz addresses Zelenskyy over Ukrainians in Germany: Young people needed in their homeland
Photo: Friedrich Merz, German Chancellor (Vitalii Nosach, RBC-Ukraine)
Germany has seen an influx of young Ukrainians following Kyiv’s decision to allow men under the age of 22 to leave the country, states German Chancellor Friedrich Merz, according to Barron’s.
"I asked the Ukrainian president to ensure that young men from Ukraine in particular do not come to Germany in ever-increasing numbers, but rather serve in their own country. They are needed there," Merz said following his talks with Zelenskyy.
Departure abroad for men
Ukrainian men of conscription age (18–60 years old) have been prohibited from leaving Ukraine since the start of Russia’s full-scale invasion.
However, in August, the Cabinet of Ministers made an exception and allowed men aged 18 to 22 to leave the country.
According to Andrii Demchenko, spokesperson for the State Border Guard Service of Ukraine (DPSU), young men are allowed to travel abroad only if they have a military registration document along with their passport.
Against this backdrop, the number of Ukrainians leaving the country has increased.
In particular, Bild reported that the number of protection applications from Ukrainians in Germany has surged sharply — now reaching 1,000 per week compared to just 100 previously.
In response, some German officials have begun calling for a tightening of migration policy.
Germany has also started reducing benefits for Ukrainians who arrived in the country after August 1.
At the same time, data from Eurostat published on November 10 showed a sharp rise in the number of Ukrainians seeking asylum in the European Union.
