Poland’s Defense Minister Mariusz Błaszczak has stated that young Ukrainian men of conscription age should return to Ukraine. He emphasized that Poland has opened its doors to approximately 3 million refugees fleeing the war.
Błaszczak questioned the situation of some young Ukrainians in Poland, saying, “Is everything alright with Ukrainians? No, not everything is fine. Is it normal to wreck cars worth millions of zlotys and visit places like Morskie Oko [a lake in Poland]? No, this is not normal, and such individuals should be sent back. All young, able-bodied Ukrainians must be in Ukraine serving their homeland,” he stated.
Context
- On June 17, Spiegel reported that European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen urged EU leaders to impose restrictions on accepting Ukrainian refugees.
- On June 26, the European Commission proposed extending temporary protection for Ukrainian refugees for another year, until March 4, 2028, though this would not apply to men of conscription age who obtained temporary protection after the new rules come into force.
