After the decision of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine to suspend consular services for men of conscription age, Ukrainians rebelled abroad and even blocked the passport service. Some of them say that they are not going to register for the military and return to the Motherland. However, there are already statements in the EU about the readiness to deport Ukrainian men.
Read in the material which countries can deport Ukrainian men from EU countries
The position of Poland
Poland is ready to help Ukraine return men of military age. Such a made a statement the Minister of Defense of the country, Władysław Kosiniak-Kamysh, without providing details on how exactly Poland will help.
"I think that many Poles are indignant when they see young Ukrainian men in hotels and cafes and hear how much effort we have to make to help Ukraine. I am not surprised that Ukrainians who are at the front have well-founded claims against their peers who have traveled the world." - said the minister.
He said that Poland had long offered Ukraine help in the identification of conscripts who, accordingly, should return to the Motherland.
"The form of our assistance depends more on the Ukrainian side," - answered Kosiniak-Kamys about how Warsaw will react to Kyiv's request to help return home those who may lose the right to stay in Poland after the passport expires.
The position of Germany
Germany does not plan to deprive men from Ukraine of their refugee status, despite Kyiv's decision to suspend consular services for them.
In Germany, they said that they were Ukrainian men have the same protection status as women in this country, and this will not change after certain decisions of the Ukrainian authorities in the field of consular policy. About this informed Maximilian Kall, spokesman for the German Ministry of Internal Affairs.
At the same time, Germany refuses to comment on Ukraine's decision to suspend consular services for men of conscription age.
"This is a sovereign decision of Ukraine, which I cannot comment on behalf of the German Foreign Ministry," — said the spokesman of the German Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Christian Wagner.
At the same time, he was not ready to inform whether the men will be able to obtain a temporary German travel document in Germany in case the passport of a citizen of Ukraine is expired.
Position of Lithuania
Lithuania may impose restrictions on Ukrainian men of conscription age for their return to their homeland. However, first we will have to wait and see how this procedure will be carried out in Poland. This was stated by the Minister of Defense Laurinas Kaschyunas.
"The direction is correct. In what measures it will turn into, probably, it is still difficult to say. Probably, it will be necessary to talk specifically about it." Kaschyunas said.
He admitted that Vilnius needs to think about how to help Ukraine return men of military age who left the country. At the same time, the minister added that Lithuania is not yet considering specific measures and is monitoring what decisions Poland will make on this issue.
"Of course, no one will collect them and take them to Ukraine - this will not happen. But (they can be limited) in social payments, work permits, documents - these are options that I hear from the Polish side as well. Therefore, let's wait and see what option they will offer, maybe it will be suitable for Lithuania as well." — conveys the words of the Lithuanian minister Delphi.
As of January 2024, about 4,3 million Ukrainians live in the countries of the European Union. About 860 of them are adult men.
Recall that since April 23, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine limited the provision of consular services to men aged 18-60 who are abroad. This was explained by the new law on mobilization, which will enter into force on May 18, 2024.
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