For a long time, there have been debates in Ukrainian society about the return of men of draft age from abroad. However, it has now become known that Ukraine does not plan to implement such coercive measures.
Registration with the Territorial Defense Centers (TDC) does not automatically mean mobilization to the front lines, as Ukraine’s decision to update the data is aimed at determining the mobilization potential. This was reported by the Vice Prime Minister for European and Euro-Atlantic Integration of Ukraine, Olha Stefanishyna, on the eve of the EU General Affairs Council meeting.
It’s about registration and information Olha Stefanishyna stated that Ukraine will not forcibly return men of draft age from abroad. She noted that providing one’s data to territorial recruitment and social support centers does not automatically mean mobilization to the front lines.
“Ukraine has adopted a mobilization law, and we need to understand to what extent we can replace the guys at the front. We are talking about mobilization potential – registration and information. And this is the primary goal of our decision,” explained Stefanishyna.
Moreover, the Vice Prime Minister announced the upcoming visit of the EU Commissioner for Home Affairs and Migration, Ylva Johansson, to Ukraine, which will take place in May of this year.
According to the Ukrainian official, discussions are planned with the Ukrainian authorities on the further legal status of Ukrainians abroad, as the current Temporary Protection Mechanism in the EU will be in effect until March 2025.
“Therefore, there will be no restrictions or forcible return of Ukrainian citizens of any gender or age to the country at war. But in matters of war, there are no pleasant decisions, and let’s not forget that the war continues, and we must win it,” added the official.
Stefanishyna explained the ban on obtaining passports
- The Vice Prime Minister noted that since the end of April, conscripts cannot obtain passports abroad. Ukraine will continue to mobilize conscripts until the end of the war. The government wants to account for those men who are abroad and may be mobilized.
- According to Stefanishyna, there is a difference between the status of temporary protection and the decision of the Ukrainian government not to issue passports to men of draft age abroad. This is a fundamental human rights requirement, and it should not differentiate between men and women and any gender-related issues associated with it.
- At the same time, the internal measures taken by the Ukrainian government are aimed at enabling the leadership to account for and plan for further mobilization, as “war is not a time for positive decisions, it is primarily death and mass casualties among the civilian population and servicemen.”
