Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said he does not want to pressure conscientious objectors who have fled abroad to return to the country, in an interview with German public broadcaster ARD, reported DPA agency.
 
"I'm definitely not calling on Olaf Scholz to bring them back quickly. We live in a democratic world," he said in the interview on Sunday. He said Ukraine needed a "functioning law" to deal with conscientious objectors.

Ukraine is currently figuring out how to recruit more soldiers for the army. The military wants to mobilize 450,000 to 500,000 men. 

Men between the ages of 18 and 60 who are fit for military service have been asked not to leave the country, although some have managed to do so. The Ministry of Defense has been appealing to Ukrainian men living abroad to return and defend the country against Russia's invasion.

Presently, hundreds of thousands of Ukrainians are registered as war refugees in several countries including Germany. 

In December, German Justice Minister Marco Buschmann had emphasized that Ukraine's mobilization plans would not impact Ukrainians living in Germany.