Slovak Defence Minister: Men of mobilisation age should be returned to Ukraine

Robert Kalinak, Slovakia's Defence Minister, has said that instead of discussing deployment of Western troops to Ukraine, ally states should rather discuss repatriation of Ukrainian men subject to mobilisation. Source: Kalinak on the air of the TA3 TV channel, European Pravda reports The Slovak defence minister made the statement in the context of discussing French President Emmanuel Macron's proposal to send Western troops to Ukraine.

Kalinak noted that discussions on this issue have spilled over into the open.

Quote: "We want to send [Western] troops to Ukraine instead of thinking about all the refugees from Ukraine whom we are protecting, whom we are giving a place to live, work, etc. There are people that are subject to the Ukrainian law on mobilisation," Kalinak said. "I think that having enough people would be the biggest help to the Ukrainian military," he added.

According to Kalinak, about 300,000 Ukrainians who went abroad after the start of the full-scale war are subject to the Ukrainian law on mobilisation - the Slovak defence minister did not specify where he got this number from. "We should actually allow these young Ukrainian guys who are within the perimeter of the law - that is, not younger or older, not children, mothers and all the rest, but those who can - to serve in the Ukrainian army," Kalinak said. For reference: Earlier, French President Emmanuel Macron said that deployment of Western troops to Ukraine "should not be ruled out".

Later he added that his controversial remarks were carefully thought through.

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