For her second ARD talk show, Caren Miosga interviewed Ukrainian President Volodymyr Selenskyj in Kiev. It was also about citizens’ money for refugees from his country. The Ukrainian made a surprising statement.
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Miosga wanted to know his position on the citizen’s money discussion – and whether there was a lever here to send the around 200,000 military-eligible men who live in Germany back to Ukraine.
Citizens’ money for Ukrainians capable of military service: That’s what Zelensky says
The ARD presenter asked whether, from Zelenskyj’s point of view, citizens’ benefits should be reduced in order to create an incentive for men to make the return journey.
Zelensky did not want to make a blanket judgment, but there are many men who have left Ukraine illegally. They don’t all have to go to the front because Ukraine has “a big army.” But it is also about these people returning to their jobs. “It is a question of justice, these people should pay taxes,” said Zelensky. These taxes are needed to finance the military.
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“I’m definitely not going to tell Olaf Scholz: Bring them back quickly,” said Zelensky. Functional laws are needed in a democracy.
“It would be better to let the money flow into our budget”
But then Zelensky expressed a clear wish for German social benefits such as citizen’s benefit or child benefit for Ukrainians. It happens that people receive support “from both Germany and Ukraine”. “And that’s why it would be better if Germany supported Ukrainians by putting this money into our budget.”
The Ukrainian state would then distribute this money to eligible compatriots “depending on where the person is.”
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Zelensky also pointed out that many people fled with their savings. “Like every person, they took their money with them. And this money stayed in Europe.”