President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy called on the West to review its financial obligations to Ukrainian refugees and consider the possibility of their return home. This happened during a press conference held on Monday, August 26, 2024.
At the press conference, the president said that it is "politically advantageous" for the West not to spend money on Ukrainians who do not work abroad.
At the same time, Zelensky denies that he asked Western leaders to return men of draft age to Ukraine. He says that they themselves raise these issues in private conversations, but publicly saying "we are sending Ukrainians home, it is very expensive for us to support them" is politically unprofitable.
"It's easier to raise this issue at a meeting with the president of Ukraine, and then say that the president requested the return of Ukrainians. I'm only in favor, but without coercion," Zelensky said.
He says that Ukraine should return 7.5 million refugees from abroad to "feed" 10.5 million pensioners. But it should be done "without forcing them to want to do it."
In the fall, it is planned to adopt some kind of decision, which should stimulate Ukrainians to return.
