Overview
- Following a phone call on Thursday, Friedrich Merz said he asked Volodymyr Zelensky to ensure fewer young men leave for Germany, arguing they are needed to serve in Ukraine.
- German interior ministry figures show arrivals of 18–22-year-old men rose from 19 per week in mid-August to roughly 1,400–1,800 per week in October, with a peak near 1,796 after Kyiv eased exit rules.
- A cabinet draft would place Ukrainians arriving after April 1, 2025 under the lower-paying Asylum Seekers' Benefits Act while preserving immediate access to the labor market, with approval targeted next week.
- Merz also raised concerns about a major corruption and energy scandal in Ukraine during the call, reflecting worries that such cases could weaken public backing for aid.
- Germany hosts more than 1.2 million Ukrainian refugees—about 28.3% of the EU total—as figures like Bavaria’s Markus Söder float curbs on EU temporary protection and the AfD presses to cut welfare.