Polish Defence Minister Wladyslaw Kosiniak-Kamysz said on Wednesday, the 24th of April, that Poland is ready to help Ukraine to bring military-age men back to support their country in the conflict against Russia, after the Ukrainian government announced on Wednesday that passports for military-age men will only be issued in Ukraine, reports Reuters.
Under the new rules, men aged between 18 and 59 living abroad will not be able to renew expired passports or obtain new ones.
Poland has previously proposed to help Ukraine to ensure that those who have to do military service return to their country and fulfil their civic duty, Koszyniak-Kamis told Polsat News.
“I think many Poles are outraged to see young Ukrainian men in hotels and cafes,
to hear how much effort we have to make to help Ukraine,” he said, without giving details on how Poland would help.
In January 2024, there were about 4.3 million Ukrainians living in European Union countries, of whom about 860 000 are adult men, according to estimates from the Eurostat database.
950 000 Ukrainians have been granted temporary protection status in Poland, the second highest number after Germany.
“Anything is possible” Koszyniak-Kamisz said regarding how Poland would react if Kyiv asked for help to bring home those who would lose their right to stay in Poland when their passports expire.
The new rules on passport issuance and the subsequent clarification by the Ukrainian Foreign Ministry were announced a day after Foreign Minister Dmitry Kuleba suspended consular services for men aged between 18 and 60 until the 18th of May.
On the 18th of May, a new law on mobilisation will enter into force,
which aims to increase the number of soldiers by encouraging volunteers and penalising those who avoid conscription.
Kuleba criticised those living abroad for not taking part in the 26-month war against Russia.
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