Ukraine has not asked Poland to help get military-age men back, ambassador says

Ukraine’s ambassador to Poland, Vasyl Zvarych, says the Ukrainian government has not asked Poland for help in getting Ukrainian men of conscription age to return.

Source: European Pravda, citing Zvarych in an interview with TVN 24

The ambassador was speaking about how the updated mobilisation law, which comes into effect on 18 May, will impact Ukrainian citizens abroad.

Asked whether Ukraine would need assistance transporting citizens whose documents have expired, the ambassador replied that Kyiv has not yet approached the Polish side with such a request. 

"Let's wait and see. I think everything will go smoothly, without panic," the ambassador said.

With regard to Berlin's decision to allow military-age Ukrainian men to remain in Germany with expired passports, the diplomat noted that "it is the sovereign decision of each country on how to treat citizens of other countries".

"We cannot force anything. Our main priority is to implement the mobilisation law so that it is effective and transparent, so that everyone knows what it entails. So we are working to explain to our citizens what it involves," Zvarych said, adding that people "have nothing to fear".

He emphasised that current estimates of the number of draft-age Ukrainian men in Poland are "very approximate".

"According to our estimates, there are tens of thousands of conscription-age men in Poland alone. But we will be sure when this law is implemented and when everyone can confirm their personal data at collection points," the ambassador said. 

Asked whether men would need to return to Ukraine to join the military registry, the ambassador replied that it would not be necessary. 

"We have temporarily suspended the acceptance of new applications from conscription-age men in order to do technical preparations. When the new law comes into effect, everyone will know how to update their data. The idea is that this can be done remotely," Zvarych said.

Background:

• Dariusz Wieczorek, Poland’s Minister of Science and Higher Education, has said he wants to consult with Ukraine’s Ministry of Education and Science and the Polish Ministry of Foreign Affairs regarding how changes in the mobilisation law would affect Ukrainian students in Poland.
• Polish Interior Minister Marcin Kierwiński said the Polish government will consider Ukraine's decision to suspend consular services for men aged 18-60 in its general decision to extend temporary protection for Ukrainian citizens, which is currently at the preparation stage.

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