Ankara: German far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) leader Alice Weidel has called on Ukrainians residing in Germany to return to their homeland, specifically highlighting young men of military age. This statement was made during an interview with the Austrian television channel AUF1 on Sunday, where Weidel expressed concerns over the financial implications of welfare payments to Ukrainians in Germany.

According to Anadolu Agency, Weidel emphasized the financial strain posed by welfare benefits distributed to over one million Ukrainians in Germany, labeling the situation as unsustainable. She stressed that these individuals, particularly young men eligible for military service, should consider returning to Ukraine.

In addition to her remarks on Ukrainians, Weidel addressed the situation of Syrians in Germany. She stated that Syrian citizens should return to their home country once the reasons for their asylum are no longer valid. Weidel highlighted that asylum should be regarded as a temporary right, advocating for individuals to go back to their countries rather than seek naturalization in Germany.

Weidel further elaborated that under an AfD-led administration, there would be expectations for Syrian citizens to return to Syria instead of staying permanently in Germany. She also mentioned that the party would scrutinize the naturalization of Syrians to ensure compliance with the criteria, expressing doubts about certain cases.