(MENAFN) German Bundestag member Stephan Mayer has called for an end to social benefits for Ukrainian men of military age residing in Germany, arguing that they should either find employment in Germany or return to Ukraine to join the armed forces.

Since the conflict began, over 304,000 Ukrainian men aged 18 to 63 have arrived in Germany, with around half receiving “citizen’s benefits” — social assistance typically reserved for German and EU citizens who are unemployed or have low incomes. Ukrainians were granted these enhanced benefits under a special law enacted in May 2022.

Mayer told Bild newspaper, “Providing citizen’s benefits to Ukrainian men of fighting age must stop. It is problematic that nearly 151,000 Ukrainians between 18 and 63 are receiving these payments. They should either work in Germany or serve in Ukraine’s military.”

The German Federal Employment Agency reports that the government spends approximately €1.33 billion ($1.53 billion) annually on benefits for this group.

Germany has become a major refuge for Ukrainians fleeing the war, with estimates indicating over one million Ukrainians residing in the country by December 2024. In October, Stern magazine noted that 720,000 were receiving these benefits. Chancellor Olaf Scholz has also emphasized the importance of Ukrainian refugees entering the workforce.

Despite Kyiv’s ban on men aged 18 to 60 leaving Ukraine under the 2022 general mobilization, many have reportedly left illegally. Ukrainian lawmaker Anna Skorokhod stated that as of December 2024, around 1.2 million draft evaders had fled the country.

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