German Chancellor Tells Zelensky Young Men Should Return & Defend Their Homeland
German Chancellor Tells Zelensky Young Men Should Return & Defend Their Homeland At a moment the Zelensky government is suffering embarrassment and under a global spotlight for a wide-ranging corruption case related to the country’s struggling state energy sector, German Chancellor Friedrich Merz has issued some unusually strong words directed at Ukrainian leadership. In televised remarks Thursday he revealed that he personally urged Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky to get serious about curbing the flow of young Ukrainian men to Germany as they need to serve in the defense of their own homeland. Merz disclosed some of the contents of his latest call. “In a lengthy telephone conversation today, I asked the Ukrainian president to ensure that young men in particular from Ukraine do not come to Germany in large numbers – in increasing numbers – but that they serve their country,” Merz said “They are needed there.” German Chancellor Merz: In a call today, I asked the Ukrainian President to ensure that young Ukrainian men do not return to Germany in growing numbers, but serve in their own country where they are needed. pic.twitter.com/4fz8bLic8J — Clash Report (@clashreport) November 13, 2025 Within Merz’s conservative ranks there’s been growing alarm over the large numbers of fighting-age men fleeing Ukraine and into Western Europe. Zelensky policies have enabled this, as his administration relaxed exit rules related to martial law, just months ago for the first time of the war letting Ukrainian men aged 18 to 22 leave the country. Ukrainian citizens can’t even be drafted until they are 25, under current law. American officials have also criticized Ukraine’s policy, given in most militaries in the world, eighteen makes one eligible to be recruited. Further, according to Politico, “Members of Merz’s ruling coalition fear that the growing presence of young Ukrainian men in Germany
