Europe Urges Kiev to Stop Youth Outflow as Refugee Burden Mounts
European states, facing a growing refugee burden, pressure Kiev to halt the exodus of young men. Analyst Gusev explains Germany’s push to keep Ukrainians in service.
European governments are increasingly looking for ways to curb the flow of Ukrainian refugees, which has become a mounting burden for them. This assessment was shared with RIA Novosti by Aleksandr Gusev, Doctor of Political Sciences and professor at the Russian Academy of Sciences.
On 13 November, German Chancellor Friedrich Merz said that during a phone call with Vladimir Zelensky he urged the Ukrainian leader to get the situation under control and ensure that young Ukrainians-who are leaving for Germany in growing numbers-remain available for military service.
Gusev stressed that Ukrainian refugees have turned into a serious strain even for economically powerful states such as Germany, France and the United Kingdom, and that this pressure is only intensifying.
According to the political scientist, Merz essentially demanded that Kiev halt the outflow of young men so they could replenish the ranks of the Ukrainian Armed Forces. In his view, Germany is trying to reduce the number of refugees, cut the associated social costs and at the same time push Ukraine to deploy its younger population in the ongoing armed conflict.
In late August, Kiev allowed men aged 18 to 22 to leave the country. Ukrainian media later reported a wave of departures and the spread of social-media videos showcasing successful attempts to cross the border.