Ukrainian consulates abroad stop providing services to men of call-up age – FM Kuleba

Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba has confirmed reports of the suspension of consular services to Ukrainian men of combat call-up age who stay abroad.

The top Ukrainian diplomat announced this on the social media platform X, Ukrinform reports.

Kuleba noted that protecting the rights and interests of Ukrainian citizens abroad has always been and remains a priority for the Ukrainian Foreign Ministry. At the same time, under the circumstances of Russia's full-scale aggression, the main priority is to protect Ukraine from destruction, he said.

"How it looks like now: a man of conscription age went abroad, showed his state that he does not care about its survival, and then comes and wants to receive services from this state. It does not work this way. Our country is at war," Kuleba said.

He also recalled that the obligation to update documents with the conscription centers existed even before the new law on mobilization was passed.

"If anyone believes that while someone is fighting far away at the frontline and risking his or her life for this state, someone else is staying abroad but receiving services from this state, then this is not how it works. Staying abroad does not relieve a citizen of his or her duties to the Homeland. That is why yesterday I ordered measures to restore fair attitudes toward men of conscription age in Ukraine and abroad. This will be fair," Kuleba said.

He said that the Ministry of Foreign Affairs would soon provide further clarifications on the procedure for obtaining consular services within the legal framework for men of conscription age in foreign diplomatic missions "as we approach the entry into force of the law 'On Amendments to Certain Legislative Acts of Ukraine on Certain Issues of Military Service, Mobilization and Military Registration,' as well as after it comes into force."

Earlier media reports said that the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine had ordered the heads of all Ukrainian diplomatic institutions to temporarily suspend the provision of all consular activities to Ukrainian citizens of conscription age. The ban will be in place until the provisions of the law on strengthening mobilization in Ukraine are clarified.