CSU Announces Termination of Financial Aid for Ukrainian Military Draftees
Many Ukrainians are hesitant to engage in the ongoing conflict against Russian intruders and are leaving the country. The Bavarian Interior Minister, Joachim Herrmann, proposes to motivate these armed Ukrainians residing in Germany to come back and discuss the matter at the upcoming Interior Ministers' Meeting. Not everyone agrees.
Herrmann aims to inspire the weapon-carrying Ukrainians living in Germany to return, and he intends to bring this up during the upcoming Interior Ministers' Meeting. "There are several tens of thousands of males eligible for military service in Ukraine, yet they receive citizen's benefits in Germany," explained Herrmann to Redaktionsnetzwerk Deutschland. "This no longer sits well with the German populace."
In Herrmann's opinion, it's unjustifiable to "continue to invest efforts in supporting Ukraine in its defense against Russia, which I hold to be righteous, and at the same time reward those who avoid military service." Given the current discussions in Germany about reinstating conscription, this sentiment is even stronger.
"We need to address this issue at the Interior Ministers' Meeting," insisted Herrmann. "No temporary document replacements should be granted under any circumstances. Moreover, we must openly state that those who evade military service will no longer receive citizen's benefits."
Likewise, Hesse's Interior Minister, Roman Poseck, and defense expert Roderich Kiesewetter from the CDU had previously shared similar sentiments. The Thuringian SPD Interior Minister, Georg Maier, the Greens, and the FDP voiced cautious reactions. The Reservists' Association shared the same sentiment. The Interior Ministers' Meeting is scheduled for the upcoming week.
According to RND information, around 256,000 male Ukrainians between the ages of 18 and 60 have remained in Germany lately. The latest data was approximately 210,000. The Ukrainian government decided in April to stop issuing travel documents for them, forcing them to register with the home army. They risk being unable to leave the country and being drafted and sent to the front instead.
