Germany offers to help Ukraine identify conscription-age men on its territory and urges arms orders
German Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul said Berlin is ready to share registration data on conscription-age Ukrainian men living in Germany so Ukraine can urge them to return home. He also said Germany, as Ukraine's largest donor, expects more arms orders from Ukrainian buyers for German defense companies, and confirmed Germany's continued support for Kyiv's defense against Russia.
Key points
- Wadephul said Germany is ready to help Ukraine identify conscription-age Ukrainian men living in Germany and share registration data so Ukraine can send them letters urging their return.
- Wadephul said the return of Ukrainian men should happen "without coercion."
- Wadephul said Germany's status as Ukraine's largest donor gives it the right to expect orders for its own defense companies and that Berlin is "not fully satisfied" with the current volume of orders.
- Wadephul said he assured President Volodymyr Zelensky during a visit the previous month that Germany will continue to support Ukraine's defense against Russia.
- Wadephul endorsed a demand by CSU leader Markus Söder that conscription-age Ukrainian men in Germany return home.
- Germany said it knows who lives in the country, who receives social benefits, who is registered and who holds a residence permit.
- In July the EU Council extended temporary protection for Ukrainians until March 4, 2028 while restricting it for conscription-age citizens who do not fulfill their military duties; Hungary voted against the decision.
Why it matters
Wadephul's offer to share data on conscription-age Ukrainian men marks a concrete step in enforcement of the EU's July decision to condition temporary protection on the fulfillment of military duties. By tying the request to German defense industry interests, he also signaled that Berlin's continued political and military backing of Kyiv is now more openly linked to economic returns for German arms manufacturers.
What happened
German Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul said Germany is prepared to help Ukraine identify conscription-age Ukrainian men residing in Germany and to share registration data — including information on social benefits, registration status and residence permits — so that the Ukrainian government can write to them urging their return. He stressed that the return should occur "without coercion" and aligned himself with a prior demand from CSU leader Markus Söder. Wadephul framed the broader policy by noting that Germany is one of the largest donors to Ukraine and therefore expects orders for its own defense industry; he said Berlin is "not fully satisfied with the volume of orders" it is currently receiving and urged Ukraine to buy more weapons from German companies. He added that during a visit the previous month he had assured President Volodymyr Zelensky that Germany would continue to support Ukraine's defense against Russia, and said the vast majority of the German public backs that policy.
Where reporting differs
Two source articles describe the conditions under which newly arrived conscription-age Ukrainians can obtain EU temporary protection status differently: one frames the new rule as barring those who illegally crossed the border, while the other frames it as applying to those with problems in their military registration documents.
Background
In July the EU Council extended temporary protection for Ukrainians until March 4, 2028 while simultaneously restricting it for conscription-age citizens who do not fulfill their military duties; the restriction applies to both men and women. Hungary voted against the decision, with Prime Minister Péter Magyar saying Budapest will retain the right to grant protection to men leaving Ukraine because of the war. In Germany, CSU leader Markus Söder had publicly demanded that conscription-age Ukrainian men in the country return to Ukraine.