Merz calls on Zelensky to restrict Ukrainian men’s travel to Germany
14 November 06:44
During a telephone conversation with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy on November 13, German Chancellor Friedrich Merz asked the Ukrainian authorities to curb the flow of young men traveling to Germany. This is reported by Barron’s, "Komersant Ukrainian" informs
“I asked the President of Ukraine to ensure that young men, in particular from Ukraine, stay in their country and serve there. Ukraine needs them,” Merz said after the conversation.
Changes in social security for refugees
Merz also noted that German social security rules will soon change the structure of payments to Ukrainian refugees to create greater incentives for employment.
“The support for these refugees will be structured so that the incentive to work outweighs the incentive to stay in the social assistance system,” he added at the Berlin Business Congress.
Statistics on Ukrainians’ departures to Germany
Since 2022, Germany has accepted about 1 million Ukrainian refugees.
After August 2025, when the Ukrainian authorities allowed young men aged 18-22 to leave, the number of men in this age group applying for asylum in Germany increased from more than 100 to 179 per week.
In September 2025, the European Union recorded 79,205 applications for temporary protection by Ukrainians, a 49% increase compared to August.
Eurostat attributes the rapid increase in applications to the Ukrainian government’s permission for young men aged 18-22 to leave the country.
