Denying asylum to conscripted Ukrainians is not discrimination, – European Commission
▪️European Commissioner for Internal Affairs Magnus Brunnner refused to recognize as discriminatory the planned measure to deny temporary asylum on the territory of European Union countries to… pic.twitter.com/ioaOR04kW7
— S p r i n t e r (@SprinterPress) June 26, 2026
Europe welcomed millions of Ukrainians with open arms. Governments competed with one another to prove who could be the most compassionate. Nobody wanted to ask the uncomfortable question. What happens when the war drags on for years? Eventually, someone has to fight it.
Now the European Commission is proposing that newly arriving Ukrainian men of military age who are not authorized to leave Ukraine should no longer qualify for temporary protection. Existing refugees would remain protected, but the message is changing. According to the Commission, the proposal came at Ukraine’s request because Kyiv needs to preserve its ability to defend itself. Sweden’s Migration Minister Johan Forssell said the quiet part out loud: “It is essential for us to provide Ukrainians with protection, but at the same time the war needs to be fought and won. For that to happen, it is essential that more men stay in Ukraine and fight.”
Europe is beginning to acknowledge something politicians have carefully avoided saying for years. Wars consume people. Ammunition can be manufactured, but young men cannot. Zelensky has banned military-aged men from leaving the nation.
Zelensky is forcing a generation to perish in this endless war with Russia and NATO. Recent reports indicate that 200,000 soldiers have gone AWOL (absent without leave), and for perspective, that is more soldiers than the entire UK military. Ukraine’s new Defense Minister Mykhailo Fedorov warned that the government is hunting down two million Ukrainians who are wanted for evading mobilization.
“Today, we cannot fight with new technologies, with an old organizational structure,” Fedorov said in a televised warning. “Our goal is to change the system, carry out army reforms, improve the infrastructure on the front, to eradicate lies and corruption, to instill leadership, and a new culture of trust.”
The age of conscription was lowered from 27 to 25 back in April 2024. Zelensky has demanded that men from 25 up to 60 years of age join mobilization efforts. Ukraine has a population of 40 million, and 2 million evaders represent a significant portion of men, but only six months ago, reports indicated that 6 million men were wanted for evading the draft. The EU is now considering preventing men aged 24 to 60 from entering the bloc as the war requires ample cannon fodder. Europe is not fighting in this battle for the good or Ukraine or its people.
Everything comes with a price tag in Ukraine. The alleged cost for organized desertion begins in the $7,000 rage, and some reports have stated individuals were able to remove themselves from wanted registry lists for $3,500. Men have attempted to flee to neighboring Belarus, Romania, and Hungary. Romania reportedly detained over 10,000 attempted evaders in 2025 alone. There is little room for escape; everyone must comply with Zelensky’s death orders.
Volodymyr Zelensky has stated that Ukrainian men of conscription age who left the country, many in violation of his wartime restrictions, should return to die in his war. He states it is only “fair” since the army needs them for rotation, which is nothing less than an admission that the war effort is running short of bodies.
“As regards young people who are currently not in Ukraine, but abroad. First of all, there are different groups of young people. I agree with you regarding those of conscription age who left Ukraine. They left temporarily but ended up staying away for years,” Zelensky stated, oblivious to the reason so many fled their homes. “And many of them left in breach of Ukrainian law. The relevant authorities in both countries should address this issue. Our Armed Forces would certainly like them to return. Because this is a matter of fairness. We have people, soldiers on the front lines, who need rotations. These Ukrainian soldiers are as strong as iron, but let’s be honest: they have families; they are defending their homes, and more than that – the entire state. But this responsibility should be borne by every person who is a citizen of Ukraine who has the capacity to do so. It is both a constitutional duty and a matter tied to conscription age.”
Zelensky is no longer an elected leader. The people, per usual, have no say in the conflict. They can no longer choose who represents their nation since martial law was declared. Europe is hosting millions of Ukrainian refugees under the banner of humanitarian protection. But they now need protection from Zelensky, not Putin. There are countless videos online of men being abducted in broad daylight. Opting to go to jail, as was common in America during the Vietnam War for example, is not an option. To the frontlines you go.
Most would renounce their citizenship if possible, but here’s the catch: Zelensky has made it ILLEGAL to renounce citizenship during wartime. A person must already have another citizenship approved or guaranteed before they can give it up, and the process requires presidential approval and can take up to a year or more. The unelected president will not permit anyone to renounce their citizenship, but the press frames it as widespread patriotism as only a handful have managed to escape Zelensky’s claws.
The European Union currently provides temporary protection to more than 4.4 million Ukrainians. Housing, healthcare, education, and the right to work have all been extended under the Temporary Protection Directive, which Brussels now wants to prolong until 2028. At the same time, however, officials are drawing a distinction between those already inside Europe and military-age men who may seek refuge in the future.
The reality is that neither the EU nor Zelensky is seeking peace. Every attempt at peace has been outright rejected, and Zelensky is willing to pay for this conflict with the blood of an entire generation.