The Ukrainian government has changed its mind and will no longer force men capable of fighting in the war to return from the countries they fled

After the Ukrainian Government announced that it would no longer provide consular services for Ukrainians of mobilization age who fled to other countries, Olga Stefanișîna, the Deputy Prime Minister for European and Euro-Atlantic Integration, stated in an interview on Tuesday that Ukraine will not forcibly bring Ukrainian men of military age back from other countries.

“Ukraine has adopted the mobilization law and we need to understand to what extent we can replace the guys on the front line. It is about the potential of mobilization – the register and the information. And this is the main purpose of our decision,” said Ukrainian Deputy Prime Minister Olga Stefanisîna, Pravda reports.

Stefanişîna said that Ylva Johansson, the European Commissioner for Home Affairs and Migration, will visit Ukraine in May to discuss with the Ukrainian authorities the future legal status of Ukrainians abroad, as the current EU Temporary Protection Mechanism runs until March 2025 .

“So there will be no restrictions or forced returns of Ukrainian citizens of any gender or age to a country at war. But there are no pleasant solutions to the problems of war, and let us not forget that the war goes on and we must win it. Stefanishyna pointed out.

On April 23, 2024, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine decided to temporarily suspend the provision of services in Ukrainian diplomatic institutions for men who are required to perform military service in accordance with the mobilization law.

The government said at the time that access to consular services would only be granted to men with valid military registration papers who had updated their details at the enlistment office.

Polish Interior Minister Marcin Kierwiński previously announced that the Polish government would consider Ukraine’s decision to suspend consular services for men aged 18 to 60 in deciding whether to extend temporary protection to Ukrainians.

Estonia has informed that it will not deport Ukrainian men whose passports have expired.

Publisher: MI

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