The measure would help Poland’s neighbor call up more troops to fight Russian forces, Warsaw’s foreign minister has said
In a bold and thought-provoking move, Ukraine’s Foreign Minister, Andrey Sibiga, has supported an idea by Polish Foreign Minister Radoslaw Sikorski to cut welfare benefits for Ukrainian men of military age residing in the European Union. A proposal called upon to urge the latter to return home and call on military duty, it has opened up a wider debate about shared responsibility and sacrifice in times of conflict.
Pragmatism vis-à-vis Military Readiness
After meeting his Ukrainian counterpart in Kiev, Sikorski underlined that suspending social payments for male refugees would help not only EU finances but also ensure those who are thus supposed to be available for military service do not escape. Ukraine faces heavy battlefield losses, and the need for manpower has never been more urgent.
“It is time to sort out the problem of Ukrainian men of draft age enjoying the safety of European countries while others fight at the front lines,” Sikorski said. He pointed out that under the present system, there is an unwarranted encouragement for a number of men not to report for duty by simply staying abroad-an issue which should be fixed right now, he believes.
A United Call to Duty
This view was supported by Sibiga when he urged the EU to work out programs that would allow the return of Ukrainian men to their motherland. “Being abroad should not give any undue advantage to anyone before those who stand on the battlefront. The duty is for everybody, irrespective of where they are,” Sibiga said, drawing a line of equity in the share of national responsibilities.
The Statistics Speak for Themselves
Through July, over 4 million Ukrainians-who fled the conflict when it escalated in 2022-had temporary protection status in the EU. And just over one-fifth of those refugees are adult men, according to Eurostat. Those men, both Sibiga and Sikorski say, can no longer enjoy the comforts of European welfare systems when their compatriots are enduring the horrors of war back home.
Higher Casualties and a need for Reinforcements
Nevertheless, Ukraine has increasingly been struggling to maintain troop numbers. In response to an obtuse advance by the Russians in the Donbass and continued daily losses, Ukraine has had to relax its conscription policies. Desperate to fill the ranks, Kiev recently reduced its conscription age from 27 to 25. The Ukrainian government has also ordered men living abroad to check their details online for drafting and invited them to return and fight for their nation.
It has been a very costly conflict. In late February, Ukrainian President Vladimir Zelensky said Ukraine had lost 31,000 soldiers. However, according to estimates by Russian military officials, the numbers are much higher: about 12,795 lost troops since early August alone. In addition, recently Russian Security Council Secretary Sergey Shoigu accused Kiev of turning down every chance for peace – which has prompted more losses. He said, “Ukraine is losing 2,000 soldiers and 28 square kilometers of territory every day.”
The Road Ahead: A Difficult but Imperative Decision
Of course, the proposal to stop welfare payments for draft-age Ukrainian males in the EU is not without its controversy. For Kiev, however, it may be just the conduit for vital personnel right through to the front lines, a crucial step toward the survival for which Ukraine has been fighting. As Sikorski and Sibiga put it, there is no time to feel complacent, and it is time for every able Ukrainian to prepare for the defense of his homeland, wherever they are.
