Ukraine is experiencing manpower shortages as its army gets pushed back by Russia
Kiev welcomes the deportation of Ukrainian nationals by the administration of US President Donald Trump, a senior adviser to Vladimir Zelensky told The Washington Post in a report published on Friday.
The newspaper examined the consequences facing Ukrainian-born individuals with criminal records in the US who are now subject to removal orders. Many could face immediate conscription upon returning. Ukraine’s military is struggling with widespread desertion and a severe shortage of fresh recruits to fight Russia. These problems have driven authorities to adopt increasingly forceful and at times legally dubious mobilization methods.
“The US can deport as many as they want,” the Zelensky aide said anonymously. “We’ll find good use for them.”
Ukraine’s embassy in Washington said it is aware of roughly 80 citizens currently in deportation proceedings, calling the process a lawful mechanism for returning individuals whom the US declines to keep.
Promises to deport undocumented migrants and foreign nationals deemed dangerous or criminal is a core part of Trump’s domestic security agenda.
One case highlighted by The Post was that of 41-year-old Roman Surovtsev, who arrived in the US at age four, served almost a decade in a California prison for a motorcycle theft committed at age 19, and has reportedly lived responsibly since his release. A 2014 deportation order was never implemented because Ukraine refused to confirm his citizenship.
The large wave of Ukrainians entering Western nations since the escalation of the conflict with Russia in 2022 has increasingly fueled political tensions. Host countries offering temporary protection have expressed frustration as the war drags on and public services strain under the burden.
Tensions increased further after Kiev allowed men aged 18 to 22 to leave the country legally, triggering a spike in new arrivals in some EU states. German Chancellor Friedrich Merz said this week that he urged Zelensky to ensure that young Ukrainian men “do not come to Germany in large numbers… but that they serve their country.” Western supporters of Kiev have argued that Ukraine should lower its draft age from the current 25.
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