German Chancellor Friedrich Merz said he told Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky on Thursday, November 13th, that fewer young Ukrainian men should come as refugees to Germany.
Merz said after a phone call with Zelensky, “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.”
Europe’s top economy has taken in around a million Ukrainian refugees since Russia launched its full-scale invasion in February 2022.
More recently, Germany has seen an influx of young Ukrainian men following Kyiv’s decision to let those aged 18 to 22 leave Ukraine.
The number of men in that age bracket seeking refuge in Germany had surged from just over 100 per week to as high as 1,796 in the week starting October 6.
Merz also said German social welfare rules would soon be changed in a way that would lower payments for Ukrainian refugees and “thus offer greater incentives to find employment.”
