Germany wants to tighten migration conditions for Ukrainian refugees

Germany plans to tighten its migration policy toward Ukrainians. In particular, the Christian Social Union (CSU) wants to ban the so-called "home leave" and send fit men to Ukraine, writes Spiegel.

In a draft decision for the upcoming congress in the Bavarian monastery of Zeon, the party called for the immediate abolition of protection status for refugees visiting their home country. According to the authors of the document, a trip to one's home country automatically refutes a person's need for safety, so the right to stay in Germany should be lost upon crossing the border.

In addition, the CSU insists on the return of able-bodied Ukrainian men to fulfill their military duty. The politicians believe that this category of citizens should contribute to Ukraine's defense rather than remain under protection in Germany.

The draft also calls for asylum seekers to participate financially in covering the costs of their stay in Germany. According to the draft decision, for Ukrainians arriving in the country from April 2025, it is proposed to introduce a rule on the use of their own assets to pay for their stay.

• Since the start of Russia's full-scale invasion in February 2022, Germany has hosted more than 1.1 million Ukrainian refugees, granting them the right to reside, work, and access to social services. As of August 2025, one third of Ukrainian citizens who were in Germany with temporary protection status, had jobs.