German Foreign Minister Johann Wadeful has stated that Ukrainian men of conscription age currently in the country must return home. Berlin is prepared to assist Ukraine in identifying those liable for military service on German territory and to pass on the relevant details so that the Ukrainian authorities can issue summonses to them.
Briefly about the main points
- Vadeful urged Ukrainian men of conscription age to return.
- Berlin is ready to assist with the identification of those liable for military service.
- Ukraine will be able to issue targeted summonses to men to appear in court.
- The procedure for systematic data exchange has not been publicly defined.
- Temporary protection in the EU has been extended until March 2028.
Vadeful’s appeal does not imply a new repatriation procedure
According to further reports, the German Foreign Minister has backed the position that Ukrainians should return «without coercion». His statement relates to men of conscription age, but does not establish any new procedure for their departure from Germany or the termination of their right of residence.
Mode temporary protection For people who have left Ukraine, it remains in force in the EU. In July, the EU Member States agreed to extend it until 4 March 2028.
Data exchange will require a separate practical mechanism
Vadeful linked the possible transfer of information to the Ukrainian government’s ability to target men specifically. At the same time, the procedure for such an exchange, the list of data to be shared, the responsible authorities and the safeguards for data protection have not been publicly defined.
As at 31 October 2025, there were 328,363 male Ukrainian citizens aged between 18 and 60 registered in Germany. This registered figure does not represent the number of people liable for conscription: the German government has no data on how many of them are actually subject to military service.
The practical implementation of the initiative will depend on the legal basis for the exchange, Kyiv’s position and the individual status of each person within the military registration and defence systems.
