Ukraine and Germany have created a joint working group that is working on mechanisms for returning Ukrainian men of mobilization age who illegally left the country. At the same time, the parties are also working on expanding state services for Ukrainians who are in Germany. As OBOZ.UA writes, this was reported by the Ambassador of Ukraine to Germany Oleksiy Makeyev in an interview with Ukrinform. The PromPolitInform portal reports.
He spoke about two areas of work.
The work is being conducted within the framework of a joint Ukrainian-German group
According to the diplomat, the issue of returning Ukrainians who illegally left the country is currently being worked on.
Makeyev noted that the work consists of two areas.
The first is the activity of the Unity Hub centers, through which the Ukrainian state maintains contact with its citizens abroad, provides them with services and consultations.
The second is direct cooperation between Ukrainian and German state bodies.
“The second is to understand how we, together with the Germans, can facilitate the return. Therefore, a working group has been created between Ukrainian and German departments, where information is exchanged,” the ambassador explained.
At the same time, the diplomat emphasized that he is not ready to disclose what return mechanisms are being discussed.
“I will not disclose these mechanisms yet. They are being discussed within the framework of the work of this working group,” Makeyev said.
Unity Hub should become a center for interaction between Ukrainian refugees and the state
The ambassador reported that the first Unity Hub center has already opened in the center of Berlin and is gradually expanding the list of its services.
According to him, during the first days of the center’s operation, representatives of the Pension Fund of Ukraine were already working there, to whom many Ukrainian pensioners turned with their questions.
Makeev emphasized that such centers allow the Ukrainian state to be closer to its citizens even abroad, expand the list of administrative services, and also create space for the work of Ukrainian public organizations and communication of the Ukrainian community.
“We are grateful to the Germans for helping to develop the idea of creating centers for Ukrainians – Unity Hub,” the ambassador emphasized.
There are more than 1.3 million Ukrainians in Germany
According to the diplomat, it is important for Ukraine to have a good understanding of the structure of the Ukrainian community in Germany.
Currently, about 1.3 million Ukrainians live in Germany, and more and more people are finding work, paying taxes and social contributions, gradually integrating into German society.
At the same time, Kyiv and Berlin are interested in ensuring that these citizens do not lose touch with their homeland.
“It is in our interests and in the interests of Germany to make sure that professionally trained Ukrainians can be counted on during the reconstruction of Ukraine. This is our common interest,” Makeyev emphasized.
How many Ukrainian men are in Germany
According to official data as of May 30, 1.348 million Ukrainian refugees were in Germany. Among them, 356 thousand men aged 18 to 63 years old.
The issue of the return of men of mobilization age who illegally left Ukraine is currently one of the areas of work of the joint Ukrainian-German interdepartmental group.
As reported, Friedrich Merz emphasized that Germany is ready to facilitate the return of young Ukrainian men from Germany to their homeland. However, there is no mention of the possibility of deportation yet.
