I am all for Ukrainians returning from abroad, but without coercion – Zelenskyy

President Volodymyr Zelenskyy expects Ukrainians, particularly men eligible for military service, to return from abroad without coercion.

Source: Zelenskyy during a conversation with journalists on 27 August

Quote: "I am only in favour of the voluntary return of Ukrainian men who have been living abroad."

Details: The President noted that there are Ukrainians who work abroad, and there are those who live on assistance. According to him, some countries find it "politically profitable to not spend this financial assistance [on Ukrainian refugees] for the third year of war, but to send them back to Ukraine".

Quote: "You see, it is not politically sound in some states to say, ‘we are sending Ukrainians home because it is costly for us to support them’. It is easier to bring up this issue during a meeting with Ukraine's president and then claim that the president requested the return of the Ukrainians."

Zelenskyy stated that he would like to see all Ukrainians return, but that it was up to them.

At the same time, the president stated that in order to facilitate the return of people to Ukraine, an appropriate ministry must be established to find jobs for such citizens.

Background: Earlier, Bloomberg wrote that Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy turned to the authorities of Western states Ukrainians fled to with a request to send men of military age back to Ukraine, but they did not agree.

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