Overview
- In a phone call on Nov. 13, the German chancellor told Ukraine's president that young men should remain in Ukraine to serve.
- Interior ministry figures show weekly registrations of 18–22-year-old men jumped from just over 100 to as high as 1,796 after Kyiv eased exit rules in August.
- The draft law would place Ukrainians arriving after April 1, 2025, under the Asylum Seekers' Benefits Act while keeping immediate access to the labor market and job services.
- Merz also pressed Zelensky to address corruption following a major kickbacks scandal that German officials say could erode support for Ukraine.
- Germany hosts over 1.2 million Ukrainian refugees, or 28.3% of the EU total, as domestic debate intensifies with proposals from Bavaria's Markus Söder and AfD criticism of welfare costs, including about 490,000 Ukrainians on long-term unemployment benefits.