Germany will not deport Ukrainian citizens to serve in the Defence Forces of Ukraine, N-TV reported, citing German Justice Minister Marco Buschmann.
German Minister announced this amid information about the possible mobilization of Ukrainian men living abroad.
Germany would not “force people to undergo military service or conscription against their will,” Buschmann said, adding, “It is positive that Germany has managed not only to accept Ukrainians but also to give them the opportunity to work.”
On 21 December, Welt TV, Bild, and Politico reported that Ukraine’s defense minister, Rustem Umerov, said Ukraine wanted to enlist expatriate men in military service in 2024.
The head of the Press and Information Department of Ukraine’s Defense Ministry, Illarion Pavliuk, said that journalists had shifted the focus, Suspilne reported. According to Pavliuk, Umerov talked about recruiting in general, as well as about “the need to convey to Ukrainians abroad how important it is for them to join the military.”
“Currently, there are no discussions about mechanisms for conscripting into the Armed Forces of Ukraine from abroad,” the head of the Press and Information Department of Ukraine’s Defense Ministry said.
Earlier, Ukrainian military leadership proposed an additional mobilization of 450,000 to 500,000 individuals to fend off the ongoing Russian invasion, Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said at a press conference on 20 December.
Zelenskyy said that the military leadership raised the issue at the strategic level, addressing concerns related to the protection of the state, potential counteroffensive actions, and resource deficits. Describing the proposed figure as “very serious,” Zelenskyy requested more concrete arguments to support such a significant mobilization. He emphasized the necessity of a well-thought-out plan, encompassing aspects such as the rotation of troops, leave policies, and the overall impact on the existing million-strong Ukrainian army.
Zelenskyy said that the proposed mobilization, in its current format, would require an additional 500 billion hryvnias for Ukraine. According to him, sustaining one soldier necessitates the tax payments of six civilians. He urged the public to consider the implications, saying, “Take 500,000 people, multiply by 6, and understand how, for the government and all of us, finding an additional 3 million taxpayers from January onwards is crucial.”
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