German FM Urges Ukrainian Men to Return Home

German Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul called on Ukrainian men of military age living in Germany to return home, while stressing that any return should take place without coercion.Speaking on the Ronzheimer podcast in an interview reported by BILD on Tuesday, Wadephul backed a proposal by Bavaria’s Christian Social Union leader Markus Söder for Ukrainian men eligible for military service to return to their country.JOIN US ON TELEGRAMFollow our coverage of the war on the @Kyivpost_official.The German foreign minister said Berlin could help the Ukrainian government identify and contact the men using information held by German authorities.“We know who lives here, who receives social benefits, or who is registered here,” Wadephul said.He added that Germany also has information about the residency status of Ukrainians living in the country. Kyiv could use those records to contact men who may be subject to mobilization, he said.“I think this can and must be discussed,” Wadephul added.However, he stressed that the men should return “without coercion.” Wadephul did not announce any policy to deport Ukrainians or revoke their legal status in Germany.Germany was home to around 1.33 million Ukrainian refugees at the end of 2025, making Ukrainians one of the country’s largest refugee communities.Wadephul presses Kyiv over German weaponsDuring the interview, Wadephul also called on Ukraine to purchase more military equipment from German defense companies.He argued that Germany had become Ukraine’s largest provider of financial and military assistance and that its defense industry should consequently receive a greater share of Ukrainian procurement contracts. Other Topics of Interest Russian Drone Slams Into Kyiv High-Rise, Injuring 4 The drone hit the 24-story apartment building in the capital’s Darnytskyi district around the 11th-12th floors. “The very least you can do is ensure that the German defense industry is involved in all procurement activities,” Wadephul said, according to Reuters.He added that Berlin was “not entirely satisfied” with the volume of Ukrainian orders placed with German manufacturers, and had raised the matter directly with President Volodymyr Zelensky during his latest visit to Kyiv.Germany remains one of Ukraine’s principal military supporters and supplies Kyiv with air defense systems, ammunition, armored vehicles, and other equipment as Russia’s full-scale invasion continues. Kyiv Post is Ukraine’s first and oldest English news organization, reporting since 1995. Its international reach – 97% of readers are outside of Ukraine – make it truly Ukraine’s global voice.