Despite discussions regarding protection for Ukrainian refugees in the EU, a mass forced return of men will not occur.
Ukrainian men abroad / © TSN
The European Union cannot deport Ukrainian men back to their homeland solely based on their citizenship or age for mobilization. Even if their assistance in EU countries is canceled, they are unlikely to voluntarily return to Ukraine.
This was stated by Yehor Chernev, head of the Verkhovna Rada delegation to the NATO Parliamentary Assembly, on the “Novyny.Live” television channel.
Can the EU deport Ukrainian men?
The Member of Parliament stated that currently, there are no mechanisms for the mass forced return of citizens of conscription age to Ukraine, as this would contradict international law.
“There is no mechanism for deporting people. Well, there is a deportation mechanism, but for specific reasons, such as criminal offenses. Simply because they are of conscription age and are Ukrainian by nationality, they cannot be deported. This contradicts international law,” he explained.
Will men return to Ukraine if social benefits in the EU are canceled?
According to Chernev, the issue of providing social assistance to Ukrainians abroad falls under the exclusive competence of each individual state. However, even if payments are reduced or stopped, it is unlikely to become a significant reason for the mass return of men to Ukraine.
“What our partners do is their sovereign right, how they distribute aid to various segments of the population, including migrants, including Ukrainians, including men of conscription age. For example, even if they refuse some payments or support to men aged 25-60, I have serious doubts that this will lead to them starting to return to Ukraine,” he noted.
In the MP’s opinion, men who remain abroad will be more inclined to seek opportunities for employment, adaptation, and integration into a new environment, even without state financial support. He considers it unlikely that the lack of assistance will be a stimulus for their return, especially if they left at the beginning or middle of the war. The politician separately mentioned those Ukrainians who lived abroad even before the full-scale invasion and did not violate any laws.
“Therefore, I doubt that this will have any real effect on the return of our men,” summarized People’s Deputy Chernev.
Return of Ukrainian men from the EU – latest news
We remind you that the EU plans to extend temporary protection for Ukrainians until 2028. However, European Commissioner Magnus Brunner stated that the Ukrainian authorities are requesting an exception for men aged 23-60. The European Commission is currently considering this possibility, and the final decision regarding the restriction of protection for this category of individuals is to be made by the EU member states in the coming weeks.
After this, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine emphasized that Kyiv is interested in the voluntary return of citizens – both men and women. Ministry spokesperson Georgiy Tychiy refuted rumors about payments from Ukraine for return: it is only about potential financial support programs from the governments of individual EU countries (such as Switzerland) to encourage refugees to return home. At the same time, Ukraine advocates for maintaining the current level of temporary protection in the EU for all its citizens legally residing there.
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