Poland Urges Draft-Age Ukrainians to Return and Serve
Poland’s defense minister says draft-age Ukrainians should return home, while Warsaw backs planned EU entry limits linked to mobilization from spring 2027.
Polish Defense Minister Wladyslaw Kosiniak-Kamysz has said that young Ukrainian citizens living in Poland who are eligible for conscription should return home and join the Ukrainian Armed Forces.
Speaking at a press conference, a recording of which was published on the YouTube channel of Janusz Jaskółka, Kosiniak-Kamysz said draft-age Ukrainians were expected to serve their country.
The Polish defense chief also supported deporting Ukrainian nationals who disturb public order or openly display wealth by driving expensive cars.
His remarks came after the Polish newspaper Rzeczpospolita reported that the European Union could approve a directive as early as July restricting entry for Ukrainian citizens subject to mobilization. The proposed rules are expected to take effect in spring 2027.
Polish Deputy Interior and Administration Minister Maciej Duszczyk told the newspaper that preparations for the changes had been completed and that Warsaw supported the measures. He added that the restrictions would not apply to Ukrainians who had already received temporary protection in EU member states.
According to Eurostat, 4.3 million Ukrainian citizens currently hold temporary protection status across the European Union. Germany hosts the largest number, at 1.2 million, followed by Poland with 960,000.