Germany, Ukraine Discuss Returning Draft-Age Men

The central claim is that Germany and Ukraine are discussing mechanisms to return military-age Ukrainian men from Germany, and that approximately 356,000 Ukrainian men aged 18 to 63 who evaded mobilization live in Germany. Multiple independent sources published on July 3, 2026 confirm the core of this story. The Kyiv Independent, Censor.NET, LIGA.net, and UA.NEWS all report that Ambassador Oleksiy Makeev told Ukrinform that a joint working group between Ukrainian and German agencies is developing mechanisms for the return of Ukrainian men of draft age who left the country illegally. Makeev explicitly stated, "I will not disclose these mechanisms at this time. They are currently being discussed within the framework of this working group's efforts." This directly supports the claim that the two countries are discussing such mechanisms.

The specific figure of 356,000 Ukrainian men aged 18 to 63 who escaped mobilization and live in Germany does not appear in any of the four provided sources. However, the sources do confirm the broader context: Censor.NET and UA.NEWS report that approximately 1.3 million Ukrainians live in Germany overall, and the Kyiv Independent notes Germany hosts over a million Ukrainian refugees, more than any other EU country. The ambassador's remarks focused on the working group discussions and the Unity Hub initiative rather than providing exact mobilization-evasion figures. The 356,000 number may originate from the original Ukrinform interview or other reporting not included in the provided materials, but the substantive claim about ongoing bilateral discussions is well-supported.

The claim also aligns with broader European policy shifts. The Kyiv Independent and LIGA.net report that on June 26, 2026, the European Commission proposed changes to temporary protection measures that would no longer extend the same protections to men eligible for conscription. Additionally, LIGA.net notes that on June 25, Denmark announced Ukrainian men aged 23 to 60 would no longer be able to obtain residence permits. These contextual developments reinforce that the German-Ukrainian discussions are part of a wider European trend, lending further credibility to the claim.

One nuance worth noting: the ambassador framed the effort as having two components—Unity Hubs to explain options and encourage voluntary returns, and a working group to facilitate returns in cooperation with Germany. He emphasized that professionally trained Ukrainians are needed for Ukraine's reconstruction, suggesting the discussions encompass both voluntary and coercive elements. The claim's characterization of the discussions as aimed at making men "return" is consistent with Makeev's own language about facilitating returns, though the specific mechanisms remain undisclosed.