Germany - in favor of revising rules for Ukrainian conscription-age individuals

Germany - in favor of revising rules for Ukrainian conscription-age individuals 0

The head of Germany's Ministry of the Interior supported the idea of revising the special protection order for Ukrainian conscription-age refugees. Alexander Dobrindt believes that Ukrainians aged 23-60 should receive asylum in Germany through the regular process.

German Interior Minister Alexander Dobrindt made it clear that he supports the cessation of automatic protective status for Ukrainian refugees of conscription age. "We are discussing the issue in the sense that we want to extend the Temporary Protection Directive (TPD) for Ukrainians, but we have doubts that Ukrainian conscription-age individuals should fall under it," said the Christian Social politician before the start of the EU interior ministers' meeting in Luxembourg on Thursday, June 4.

According to the initiative being discussed in the EU, Ukrainian men aged 23 to 60 could undergo the regular asylum application process. A majority in the EU is forming in favor of such an approach. Currently, Ukrainians receive temporary protection without going through the standard asylum application process based on the TPD directive.

The EU interior ministers are discussing the extension of this provision, which is set to expire on March 4, 2027. One option includes extending it with the exclusion of men aged 23-60. Moreover, the changes would only affect those who enter the EU after the decision is made. Sweden has indicated that Ukraine needs more conscription-age men to counter Russia.

Increase in the influx of Ukrainian conscription-age individuals

Dobrindt also linked the discussion to the increase in the number of arriving men. "We have established that there has been an increase in the influx of conscription-age individuals in recent months. This needs to be addressed," he explained. The minister emphasized that the standard asylum application process will continue to be available for all, but it involves individual consideration of each protection application.

In Ukraine, men aged 18-60 are subject to military conscription, with a travel ban in place for men aged 23-60, with exceptions, particularly for fathers raising children alone. Men aged 18-22 will be able to leave Ukraine freely starting August 2025, with conscription starting at 25 years old.

Currently, about 1 million Ukrainians who arrived after the start of the war on February 24, 2022, are in Germany.