Polish Defense Minister is ready to help Ukraine return men of military age
Polish Defense Minister Władysław Kosiniak-Kamysz has expressed his readiness to help Ukraine return men of military age to fulfill their civic duties. The initiative comes amidst some public discontent in Poland, where some citizens are outraged to see young Ukrainians working in hotels and cafes, while Poland“is making significant efforts to support Ukraine.”
The minister noted that his country had previously offered assistance in this area and expressed readiness for further support if Kyiv requests it, especially in cases where Ukrainian men may lose the right to stay in Poland after their passports expire.
As of January 2024, about 4.3 million Ukrainians live in the EU, of whom approximately 860 thousand are adult men. Poland has granted temporary protection status to 950,000 Ukrainians, which is one of the highest rates among European countries. In general, the UN estimates at least 10 million Ukrainian migrants over the past two years.
Additionally, the Ukrainian government has imposed restrictions on the issuance of passports to its citizens abroad between the ages of 18 and 60, who can now obtain documents only through territorial bodies or units of the migration service in Ukraine. On April 23, Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba also announced the suspension of consular services for Ukrainian men of mobilization age abroad.
There has been no official reaction from the EU or Kyiv. At the same time, EU officials have stated that they will not discriminate against Ukrainian men on the basis of gender, as they do not distinguish between genders, which in the EU have equal rights and responsibilities.
