Men of mobilisation age must be in Ukraine, we want them to return – Zelenskyy
President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said that men of mobilisation age who have gone abroad must return to Ukraine. At the same time, he described the issue of their return as complex.
The head of state said this at a press conference in Dublin, responding to a question about the return of Ukrainians who left because of the war, Censor.NET reports.
Ukraine wants them to return
According to the president, everyone has their own reasons for leaving. The war has separated many families: men remained on the front, while their wives and children left Ukraine. Some families have broken up because of the prolonged separation.
"If they are of mobilisation age, of course, they must be in Ukraine. And, of course, we would very much like them to return," Zelenskyy said.
At the same time, the president stressed that the issue is complex, as the circumstances that led Ukrainians to leave the country can differ significantly:
"Some are defending lives and their country, while others are not. It is unfair, but that is life."
Men leaving Ukraine
- As a reminder, men aged 18 to 22 inclusive began being allowed to travel abroad on 28 August 2025.
- The Cabinet of Ministers adopted the relevant amendments to its resolution on 26 August, implementing an instruction from Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy.
- In April 2026, Social Policy Minister Denys Uliutin said the Ukrainian authorities were not holding talks with international partners about revoking permission for men under 23 to travel abroad.
- Permission for young men to leave Ukraine took effect in late August last year. By early October, reports indicated that 41% of employers in Ukraine had felt an impact on their ability to fill vacancies following the decision to allow men aged 18–22 to cross the border freely.
- In November, German Chancellor Friedrich Merz discussed the growing number of young Ukrainian men leaving for the European Union during a conversation with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy. In January 2026, Merz directly asked Zelenskyy to restrict young Ukrainian men’s departure.
