Polish Foreign Minister Radoslaw Sikorski and his Ukrainian counterpart Andrii Sybiha are calling for a major shake-up. During a recent visit to Kyiv, Sikorski suggested that European nations stop doling out welfare benefits to Ukrainian men of military age. The reason? To force more Ukrainian men back into the fight against Russia. End social security payments to these men and suddenly, Ukraine might have a stronger army. Because apparently, fighting a war is as simple as cutting off someone’s paycheck.
Sikorski argued that this measure would not only benefit Ukraine but also the host countries, particularly in Western Europe, where millions of Ukrainian refugees have taken shelter. Of the 4.1 million Ukrainians under temporary protection in the European Union as of July, 22% are men of fighting age. According to Sikorski, it’s time to put an end to what he essentially sees as a free pass for these men to sit out the war. “There should be no financial incentives for avoiding the draft in Ukraine,” Sikorski declared. Of course, what he’s really saying is that these men are dodging their duty and should be shoved right back into the trenches.
Ukrainian Foreign Minister Sybiha, not one to shy away from tough talk, supported Sikorski’s bold suggestion, stressing the need for the EU to develop programs to return these men to Ukraine. He acknowledged that appropriate conditions should be created for their return, but one can’t help but wonder if this is less about creating those conditions and more about filling the dwindling ranks of Ukraine’s military.
Let’s face it, 31 months into the war, Kyiv is running low on soldiers. Russian forces are advancing, and Ukraine desperately needs fresh troops to maintain its defense, relieve exhausted soldiers, and replace those who have been lost. In response, Ukraine has already passed legislation to lower the call-up age from 27 to 25 and has even required Ukrainian men living abroad to update their draft status online.
And yet, despite all these efforts, many men continue to escape conscription by fleeing the country. Corruption within the army recruitment system has reportedly allowed some to pay their way out of service, while others hide out abroad, far from the battlefield. Meanwhile, the Ukrainian government, which imposed martial law when the war began in February 2022, has banned men aged 18 to 60 from leaving the country unless they have special permission.
Sikorski and Sybiha’s plan to cut off benefits for these “draft-dodgers” is sure to spark heated debate, particularly among human rights advocates who might balk at the idea of financial coercion. After all, isn’t war supposed to be about defending one’s home, not being financially blackmailed into doing so?
