The defense ministers of Poland and Lithuania said on Thursday they would work to assist Ukraine in the repatriation of citizens who have left the country in the past two years to avoid being drafted into the army. Despite the martial law introduced by the Ukrainian government in 2022, which prevented Ukrainian men of fighting age from leaving the country, many have left: in the meantime, the Ukrainian army has suffered heavy losses and has long been busy trying to contain the Russian offensive. This is why Ukraine is trying in various ways to recruit new soldiers and strengthen its army: it has lowered the age limit for recruitment from 27 to 25 and suspended consular services for men of military age living abroad , making their stay more complicated.
The defense ministers of Lithuania and Poland, the main destination of many Ukrainian men who have left the country, have not given many details on how they plan to assist Ukraine in repatriating its citizens. Polish Defense Minister Władysław Kosiniak-Kamysz he said that «Ukrainian citizens have obligations towards the State», which will not renew the permits necessary for Ukrainian men of fighting age to stay in Poland, and added that he does not exclude the possibility of forced repatriation. Lithuanian Defense Minister Laurynas Kasčiūnas has ruled this out at the moment, but said she was considering other ways to discourage their stay abroad, such as introducing restrictions on work permits and access to public services.
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