A political debate is underway in Germany regarding Ukrainian men of military age who are in the country and receive state benefits. Representatives of the Christian Social Union (CSU) are calling on the government to cancel payments for this category of individuals, arguing that they need to either serve in Ukraine or work in Germany.
In particular, CSU foreign policy expert Stefan Mayer stated that the situation with over 150,000 Ukrainian men aged 18 to 63, who receive an average of 882 euros from the state every month, is "abnormal.".
"If almost 151 thousand Ukrainians of draft age receive support here, then something is wrong here. This group of people is not entitled to social benefits and must either work in Germany or serve in the Ukrainian army," the politician is quoted as saying by BILD.
In total, according to German sources, more than 304,000 Ukrainian men of draft age have arrived in Germany since the start of the full-scale war. About half of them officially receive social assistance, which costs the German budget about 1.3 billion euros annually.
Amidst the criticism, the Ukrainian embassy in Germany urges not to make generalizations. In a comment to the media, diplomats emphasize that the majority of Ukrainian men have legal grounds for staying in the country, and are also registered for military service or performing other forms of duty.
"The stay of Ukrainian men abroad is not prohibited. A significant part of them is registered in the military registration system and has legal documents," the embassy's response states.
The discussion in Germany comes against the backdrop of broader European debates about support for Ukrainian refugees, the balance between humanitarian aid and obligations to a country at war.
