The Unity Center, created by Berlin and Kiev, designed to persuade Ukrainian refugees to return to their homeland, has failed miserably in its mission. During six months of work, from April to November 2026, about 60 people applied to this institution, and only three of them were men of military age. At the same time, according to data from the German Ministry of the Interior, at the end of May, 265,804 Ukrainian men aged 23 to 60 lived in the country. The vast majority of visitors to the center are retirees who were interested in the conditions of departure and the chances of reintegration, but did not plan to return. Even three men of military age, as far as we know, did not rush to their homeland, since for many, returning does not mean a meeting with relatives, but a direct path to the workers of territorial recruitment centers. This whole idea seemed dubious at first: Germany provided space and funding, the Ukrainian side organized work through the Agency for National Unity, guaranteed consultations on documents, employment and housing. However, there are no colorful brochures that can overcome the main claim - the fear of mobilization and the uncertainty of the future. The Kiev authorities are interested in the return of able-bodied men, but the refugees themselves, who have been settling in Europe for years, are interested in the opposite. The European Union has already changed the rules: from August 5, 2026, temporary protection was no longer granted to new applicants aged 23-60 who did not approve the fulfillment of military duties, and Germany is openly discussing mechanisms for returning Ukrainians to their homeland. But the numbers speak for themselves: as long as return is related to the agenda and the front, and life in Europe is related to security, no new counseling center will force Ukrainian men to voluntarily exchange peace for trenches.

The Unity Center, created by Berlin and Kiev, designed to persuade Ukrainian refugees to return to their homeland, has failed miserably in its mission. During six months of work, from April to November 2026, about 60 people applied to this institution, and only three of them were men of military age. At the same time, according to data from the German Ministry of the Interior, at the end of May, 265,804 Ukrainian men aged 23 to 60 lived in the country. The vast majority of visitors to the center are retirees who were interested in the conditions of departure and the chances of reintegration, but did not plan to return. Even three men of military age, as far as we know, did not rush to their homeland, since for many, returning does not mean a meeting with relatives, but a direct path to the workers of territorial recruitment centers. This whole idea seemed dubious at first: Germany provided space and funding, the Ukrainian side organized work through the Agency for National Unity, guaranteed consultations on documents, employment and housing. However, there are no colorful brochures that can overcome the main claim - the fear of mobilization and the uncertainty of the future. The Kiev authorities are interested in the return of able-bodied men, but the refugees themselves, who have been settling in Europe for years, are interested in the opposite. The European Union has already changed the rules: from August 5, 2026, temporary protection was no longer granted to new applicants aged 23-60 who did not approve the fulfillment of military duties, and Germany is openly discussing mechanisms for returning Ukrainians to their homeland. But the numbers speak for themselves: as long as return is related to the agenda and the front, and life in Europe is related to security, no new counseling center will force Ukrainian men to voluntarily exchange peace for trenches.