Lithuania promises to follow Poland’s example regarding the mobilization of Ukrainians living abroad

He spoke after the neighboring country’s defense minister, Wladyslaw Kosiniak-Kamysz, said Warsaw was ready to help Kyiv recover its military-aged men.

“Of course, the position of the Ministry of the Interior will be needed, but I think that the direction is correct,” the Lithuanian minister told reporters on Thursday. – Let’s wait, maybe they will offer an option that will be suitable for Lithuania as well.”

He said that Poland can limit social benefits for Ukrainians, issuing work permits and other documents. However, the minister emphasized that Ukrainians will not be detained and deported en masse.

“Ukraine lacks a mobilization reserve – those citizens who are of conscription age and have left. This is not fair to those citizens who are fighting for their country,” said L. Kasčiūnas.

“There are not many such people in Lithuania. There is some part, but it is not a big part,” he added.

In order to encourage men of conscription age living abroad to return to their homeland, Ukraine has stopped issuing new passports to some of them. This means that men subject to this measure will not be able to obtain new passports at Ukrainian diplomatic missions abroad.

In recent months, Ukrainian forces, vastly outnumbered by the Russians in terms of weaponry and personnel, have been steadily losing ground to Moscow’s forces, which recently captured the eastern town of Avdiyivka and are now entrenching in surrounding villages.

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