German Chancellor Friedrich Merz urged Ukrainian men to stay in the country rather than go to Germany. He confirmed plans to deprive new refugees from Ukraine of the right to the civil benefit Bürgergeld.
German Chancellor Friedrich Merz advocated that especially young men from Ukraine should "serve in their country" rather than leaving for Germany. He stated this on Thursday, November 13, during a speech at the German Trade Congress in Berlin. "I asked Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky to ensure that this is provided for," Merz said. According to him, "they (young Ukrainian men) are needed in Ukraine."
The Federal Chancellor also confirmed the government's plans that refugees from Ukraine will no longer be entitled to receive the civil benefit "Bürgergeld." Instead, they will receive payments under the asylum seekers' benefits law. Merz expressed the government's intention to make "specific changes" to encourage Ukrainians in Germany to seek employment rather than remain "in the social transfer system."
According to government sources, Labor Minister Bärbel Bas and Interior Minister Alexander Dobrindt have agreed on new rules. According to them, Ukrainians arriving after April 1, 2025, will lose the right to "Bürgergeld." The changes will have retroactive effect, but previously assigned payments will remain until their expiration.
Expected Financial Consequences
This agreement generally confirms the project from the German Ministry of Labor sent for interdepartmental coordination in the summer. "Any other decision would lead to excessively high administrative costs," government circles explained. The Cabinet plans to approve the changes next week.
According to the newspaper Bild, due to the new regulation, several tens of thousands of Ukrainians will lose their right to "Bürgergeld," but those who arrived before April 1 will retain it.
The expected budget savings from the so-called change in the legal regime will amount to about 730 million euros in 2026 - 680 million for the federal center and 50 million for municipalities. In 2027, the savings will be around 320 million euros - 300 million for the federation and 20 million for municipalities.
Additional Costs for Federal States and Municipalities
At the same time, federal states and municipalities will incur significant additional costs for payments provided for under the asylum seekers' benefits law. In 2026, these may amount to about 862 million euros, and in 2027 - 394 million euros. The states are to receive compensation from the federal government.
Overall, no savings for the state are expected, as administrative costs in the asylum seekers' benefits system will be higher.
