German Chancellor Friedrich Merz has officially appealed to President Volodymyr Zelenskyy to take effective measures to reduce the number of young Ukrainians leaving for Europe. The statement, made on January 6 in Paris during a press conference of the Coalition of the Willing, stirred up both political circles and ordinary citizens. The head of the German government directly linked future security guarantees and reconstruction funding to Kyiv’s human resources, emphasizing the need for young people to return home. However, behind these political statements lies a complex social reality within Germany itself, which is openly discussed by local residents and Ukrainian migrants.
Aid fatigue and society’s “right turn”
Friedrich Merz’s political rhetoric is not only a foreign policy signal, but also a response to the mood of his own voters. Parliamentary elections were held in Germany in February last year. According to the results, the CDU/CSU led by Merz and the AfD (Alternative for Germany), the SPD (Social Democrats) and the Greens won. German radio host Gabriela explains that the public focus has shifted from supporting Ukraine to solving domestic problems. According to her, the recent elections showed a significant increase in the influence of right-wing parties that play on the dissatisfaction of the population.
“We had elections, and right-wing parties now have a lot of influence. They are more interested in domestic than foreign policy. And these parties are generally opposed to foreigners. They mean not only Ukrainians, but also many immigrants from Arab countries,” Gabriela notes.
She adds that the chancellor is forced to respond to this pressure, as it is impossible to ignore the mood of the electorate. Germans are beginning to express outright fatigue with the social burden that falls on their shoulders through taxes.
“Because these parties have significant influence, Merz is forced to support them. On the other hand, a lot of people are really tired of the fact that many Ukrainians simply receive social benefits as aid. They really don’t want to work, so that’s how the situation is,” the German woman concludes.
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Uncomfortable questions from employers
At the everyday level, the change in mood is even more acute. Valeria, a Ukrainian woman who lives and works in Germany, says that local residents are increasingly asking direct questions about the presence of young men in European cities. Her boss at work was one of those who became interested in the reasons for the mass appearance of young people.
“Even my colleagues asked, my boss here in Germany asked why so many young people are coming to Europe. Many people have questions: why are young men or older men of draft age not fighting, why are they sitting here? And sometimes those who are sitting around are doing nothing. This angers many people,” Valeria shares.
Valeria links the increase in the number of young people to recent changes in Ukrainian legislation, which she tried to explain to the Germans.
“I say: well, we have simplified the process. As far as I know, young men between the ages of 18 and 22 are allowed to leave the country, but only for a short period… But I know that some people are taking advantage of this,” she comments.
The price of hospitality: €560 and 16 plots of land
The economic aspect of dissatisfaction becomes clearer when looking at the structure of German aid. Kateryna, who has been in Germany since March 2022, says that the financial burden is unevenly distributed. Germany consists of 16 federal states, each of which has its own budget and autonomy in its distribution.
“There are 16 states in Germany. There is a basic budget that is distributed among them, but each state allocates funds for refugees separately. And each state manages these funds independently,” Kateryna explains.
According to her, the system is designed to meet people’s basic needs, but this creates a certain temptation not to look for work. Local employment centers (Jobcenter) provide assistance, but the amount of financial support remains significant.
“Germany provides special assistance in the amount of €560 every month. It also pays for housing, apartments. And it also helps with funds for language learning and education,” says Kateryna.
It is the combination of high social benefits and a large number of able-bodied men who are not integrated into the labor market that creates an explosive mixture, forcing Berlin to put pressure on Kyiv.
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The scale of the crisis in numbers
The overall picture looks threatening. The Verkhovna Rada’s Human Rights Commissioner, Dmytro Lubinets, cites a figure of over 5.8 million Ukrainians living abroad. Meanwhile, at the beginning of October, Polish border guards recorded the consequences of legalizing border crossings for young people: in just the first few days of the new rules, more than 4,000 young people aged 18–22 left through the checkpoint in the Volyn region.
The ombudsman noted that without developing a state strategy for return by 2027, when the temporary protection period expires, Ukraine risks losing an entire generation that is now adapting to life in Europe at the expense of German taxpayers.
“Here you can live, not just survive.”
While politicians argue about return strategies, young Ukrainians are making their own choices. Serhiy (name changed) left for Germany in February 2025 on an Erasmus exchange program. He emphasizes that he crossed the border completely legally, with updated documents and having passed a medical examination, and is not subject to mobilization due to his age, so he is not a draft dodger. After completing his studies, he applied for temporary protection status, as this is the easiest way to legalize his stay in Europe.
Serhiy admits that life in exile has its nuances. He has learned basic German, enough to go to the store for groceries. For anything more serious, such as communicating with a bank or landlord, he uses English. Sometimes language barriers arise, and locals may react strangely to his accent, as if they are seeing a foreigner for the first time. However, the economic component outweighs all the inconveniences. According to his calculations, even working in a simple job, for example, in a factory, you can earn about 2–2.5 thousand euros “net.”
“Let’s imagine that a person earns €2,500. You can rent a great apartment for €800-1,000. Food costs the same as in Ukraine, and sometimes even less. That means you can easily get by on €500 a month. And you still have €1,000 left to do whatever you want with.”
Serhiy says that in Ukraine, you have to work much harder to achieve a similar standard of living. You have to study and become a real expert in your field. Despite the comfort and prospects, Serhiy sometimes feels guilty that he is safe while Russian missiles are bombing his country.
“I am 100% going to return. The question is when? I don’t have an answer yet. Home is always better, but if you are realistic, there is light here and there are more prospects here.”
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