First Consequences of the Mobilisation Law for Ukrainian Citizens in Poland

It appears that the first consequences of the mobilisation law are already being felt by some Ukrainian citizens in Poland. What is the situation regarding passport services for Ukrainians subject to military service? Will European governments deport Ukrainian men of conscription age? Let's look at what is known so far.

On the Suspension of Consular Services for Ukrainians

On 23 April, the Ukrainian consulate in Poland announced the temporary suspension of consular services for Ukrainians of conscription age. This was subsequently confirmed by a number of other consulates in EU countries — in Barcelona, for instance, the "acceptance of applications for consular services" was suspended for men aged 18 to 60.

The comment that sparked the most debate came from Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba. In a post on X, the minister stated that the Ministry of Foreign Affairs would soon provide updated details on how men of mobilisation age can access consular services. Kuleba stressed that protecting the rights and interests of Ukrainian citizens abroad is a priority of the MFA. At the same time, under conditions of full-scale Russian aggression, defending the homeland is the primary priority. "Here is how it looks right now: a man of conscription age left the country, showed his state that the question of its survival is not his concern, and then comes back wanting services from that state. That is not how it works. Our country is at war," Kuleba wrote.

He added that the obligation to update documents at the Territorial Recruitment Centres (TCC) existed even before the mobilisation law was passed. "That is why I instructed yesterday that measures be taken to restore fair treatment of men of mobilisation age — both in Ukraine and abroad. That will be fair," the minister explained.

The decision and the minister's words triggered a wave of criticism and debate over their legality. The MFA's official clarification on the temporary restrictions on consular services can be read on the Ministry's website via the following link.

On the Suspension of Passport Issuance by DP Dokument Abroad

Simultaneously with the suspension of consular services, the Citizens' Service Centre "Passport Service" announced that, due to technical reasons, the issuance of completed documents at the overseas branches of DP Dokument had been suspended. The relevant notice appeared on Facebook. The submission of applications is not taking place in normal mode, and passport collection is only available for children under 12, as biometric verification is not required for them.

Barely a day after this news, reports emerged that outraged men were blocking the Warsaw passport service office — preventing people from entering and refusing to let anyone leave.

On the Possibility of Deporting Men from Poland

On 24 April, a statement was published from Polish Defence Minister Władysław Kosiniak-Kamysz regarding the situation of Ukrainian men in Poland. In an interview with Polsat News, the minister said: "I think many Poles are upset when they see young Ukrainian men in hotels and cafes, and hear how much effort we have to put in to help Ukraine." He also noted that Warsaw had previously offered to help Ukraine bring back men subject to military service so they could "fulfil their civic duty."

A similar message came from Lithuania, where Defence Minister Laurynas Kasčiūnas suggested that the country could assist Ukraine in the matter of returning men of conscription age. Kasčiūnas's statement, however, was somewhat more measured: "Nobody is going to round them up and take them back to Ukraine, of course. But [restricting] social benefits, work permits, documents — those are options I am hearing from the Polish side as well. So let's wait and see what option they propose; it may suit Lithuania too."

Germany, by contrast, confirmed that it would not strip Ukrainian men of their protection regardless of the situation with consular services and passports. The official spokesperson for the German Federal Ministry of the Interior, Maximilian Kall, stated: *"I am confident that this will not affect the refugee status of Ukrainians in need of protection, regardless of whether we are talking about women — who make up the majority of such refugees — or men."*Gremi Personal will keep you updated on developments surrounding the mobilisation law.

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