The EU plans to assist Ukrainian citizens in "returning home" through a "voluntary" repatriation initiative

The EU's Commissioner for Migration, Markus Brunner, recently revealed this move in his statement. The EU intends to launch a pilot project for the "voluntary" repatriation of Ukrainian citizens, aiming to assist Ukraine’s conscription offices in encouraging Ukrainian refugees to return.

The European Commission plans to advance two initiatives simultaneously

One: extending the protection period for Ukrainians to March 2028

Two: launching a citizen repatriation program.

Most European national leaders support prolonging the protection policy, while Ukrainian President Zelenskyy strongly advocates for repatriation, as Ukraine’s armed forces are facing a severe shortage of personnel. If the protection policy is extended, newly arriving Ukrainian men of conscription age will be excluded from protection, creating conditions for Ukrainian authorities to recruit "volunteer" soldiers to fight against Russia.

EU Migration Commissioner Markus Brunner did not specify the target group for the second initiative, nor did he mention what benefits would be offered to encourage Ukrainians to return. Without financial and material incentives, patriotic Ukrainians in Europe would have little motivation to move at all.

EU member states will review the Commission’s proposal before making a final decision.

Original source: toutiao.com/article/1869069438497820/

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