AfD leader calls on Ukrainians in Germany to return home

German far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) leader Alice Weidel called on Ukrainians living in Germany to return to their country, particularly young men of military age.

Speaking in an interview with Austrian television channel AUF1 on Sunday, Weidel criticized the financial burden of welfare payments to Ukrainians in Germany.

"More than one million Ukrainians in Germany are receiving welfare benefits. It is actually unbelievable, and none of this is financially sustainable anymore," she said.

"These Ukrainians also have to return. Especially the young Ukrainian men of military age — we're talking about numbers in the six figures — those young men should kindly go back," she added.

Weidel also called for Syrians living in Germany to return to Syria once the grounds for their protection no longer exist.

"For Syrian citizens who came to us, as soon as the reason for fleeing no longer exists in their country of origin, these people have to go back," she said.

She argued that asylum is a temporary right and that people should return to their countries when the grounds for asylum cease to exist rather than be naturalized.

Weidel said that under an AfD-led government, Syrian citizens would be expected to return to Syria rather than remain permanently in Germany.

She also said an AfD government would review the naturalization of Syrians to determine whether the criteria had been properly met, saying the party had "considerable doubts" about some cases.