German Chancellor Friedrich Mers once again clarified the issue of young men arriving in the country from Ukraine. Speaking at the German Trade Congress in Berlin, Mers stressed that in the context of the war in Ukraine, it is not right for young men to go abroad, and they "should serve in their homeland."
According to him, a dialogue was also held with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy. "Ukraine desperately needs young forces. We cannot turn a blind eye to this," the German leader said.
At the same time, Mers confirmed that significant changes are being made to the social payment system in Germany for refugees arriving from Ukraine. That is, Ukrainians will no longer be eligible for "burgergeld" - a type of German citizen's pension. Instead, special payments are paid for asylum seekers.
According to government sources, Minister of Labor Berbel Bas and Minister of Internal Affairs Alexander Dobrindt have agreed on the new procedures. According to it, Ukrainians arriving in Germany after April 1, 2025, will be deprived of the right to receive "burgergeld." In this case, even if the changes take effect with the date back, previously assigned payments will be retained until the end of the specified period.
Officials emphasized that this decision fully complies with the draft law developed by the Ministry of Labor in the summer. Otherwise, there was a risk of a sharp increase in administrative expenses. The government is expected to approve the changes next week.
According to Bild, the new rule will deprive tens of thousands of Ukrainians of "burgergeld." However, those who arrived in Germany before April 1 will continue to use this payment.
According to estimates, a change in the payment system could save around 730 million euros on the federal budget in 2026. However, due to the increase in funds allocated to asylum seekers and administrative expenses, no real benefits are expected for the state as a whole.
Federal lands and municipalities will also incur additional expenses - 862 million euros in 2026 and approximately 394 million euros in 2027. They will have to receive compensation from the federal center.
This step by the German government indicates that the migration policy in the country is becoming increasingly harsh. This issue remains one of the pressing discussions in the European political arena.
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