Federal Interior Minister Alexander Dobrindt (CSU) recently defended plans to restrict protection for conscript-age Ukrainian men. He argued during an interview with “Welt am Sonntag” that this restriction is politically appropriate, given the significant military support Ukraine provides to Germany in its resistance to Putin’s war of aggression.
Dobrindt explained that if the so-called Mass Inflow Directive does not apply to conscripted men, and a positive asylum application cannot be granted, there is a “logical consequence”: these individuals must be deported back to Ukraine. Meanwhile, EU states reached an agreement last week to grant blanket protection only to Ukrainian men who have fulfilled their “military obligations” within Ukraine. While the asylum route remains open to other men, the Minister noted that their prospects for receiving protection are likely low, and clarified that fleeing military service does not qualify as a ground for asylum.
Turning to return policies, Dobrindt tempered expectations regarding the establishment of non-EU deportation centers, known as Return Hubs. He stated that the initial priority is to secure agreements with third countries, expecting this to be achieved this year. However, he cautioned that building such a Return Hub afterward would be a major, complex endeavor that must be managed gradually.
When asked about the projected number of rejected asylum seekers who will be transferred to these Return Hubs, Dobrindt said the goal is to increase the total number of returns, regardless of whether the departure is involuntary or voluntary. He added that the number has already begun to rise. Statistics show that between May 2024 and May of this year, over 42,000 people returned to their home countries through enforced deportation measures and subsidized voluntary departure, marking an increase of 2,000 people compared to the same period one year earlier.
