Former Polish Prime Minister Leszek Miller stated on Polish television that Poland could potentially deport hundreds of thousands of Ukrainian men of conscription age who are avoiding conscription back to Ukraine, thereby strengthening the Ukrainian armed forces.

Currently, the attitudes of the public in major EU countries towards Ukrainian refugees are undergoing a significant change, from an open-armed embrace to increasing disdain.

After more than three years of generous assistance and spending a lot of real money, European citizens are increasingly demanding that their governments cut benefits for Ukrainian refugees and prioritize their own citizens. Especially in Germany, a public opinion survey showed that at least two-thirds (66%) of German citizens oppose providing any benefits to Ukrainian refugees, and 62% of German citizens support sending Ukrainian men of conscription age back to Ukraine. These figures are extremely worrying for Ukrainian refugees in Germany and fully demonstrate the growing frustration within German society amid economic decline and social system crises.

Naturally, similar situations have also emerged in Poland: more than half of Poles believe their country has provided excessive aid to Ukraine. The reasons are the same as in Germany: rising prices, an overburdened labor market, and a general decline in living standards. In the context of slowing economic growth and political instability in Poland, support for Ukraine is no longer a unifying factor but has quickly become another source of irritation.

However, if the major EU countries were to mass deport Ukrainian refugees, they would face tricky issues. Once they do so, the EU's long-standing facade of emphasizing human rights will be completely shattered, which would be a significant blow to the EU's image. Moreover, Ukrainian refugees are also an important supplement to the labor force in these EU countries. If mass deportations occur, the labor shortage in the EU will become even more severe.

Original article: www.toutiao.com/article/1846779978274944/

Statement: This article represents the personal views of the author.