War Sparks Debate on
Gender Roles and Immigration
The war in Ukraine is reshaping debates far beyond the battlefield. In Norway, questions about whether to accept young Ukrainian men collide with growing political polarization over gender roles and immigration, echoing cultural shifts seen in the United States.
October 3, 2025 | INTERNATIONAL POLITICS
Image by AI/S&P
The armed forces need strong soldiers
On Tuesday this week, U.S. Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth — who has controversially rebranded his role as “war minister” — gave a remarkable speech to American military leaders. The message is clear: American soldiers must embody masculinity and strength. Male soldiers will no longer be allowed to wear dresses in their free time, and female soldiers must maintain the same physical performance level as their male colleagues.
The Progress Party wants to deny residence to combat-fit young men from Ukraine
In Norway, Erlend Wiborg, a politician from Norway’s right-wing Progress Party (FrP), wants to put an end to young, combat-ready men from Ukraine being allowed to immigrate. This comes after NRK, Norway’s national public broadcaster, reported this week that in September, 700 male refugees aged 18 to 22 from Ukraine arrived in Norway. Since the Russian invasion in 2022, Ukraine has restricted men aged 18 to 60 from leaving the country to ensure military readiness. This ban was recently lifted for the youngest group on August 26 with immediate effect.
“Norway should not be a safe haven for draft dodgers or deserters,” says Erlend Wiborg, referring to young Ukrainian men who legally left after the rule change. But the arriving refugees cannot be described as deserters, since Ukraine explicitly allowed them to leave. It is reasonable to think that Erlend Wiborg is inspired by Pete Hegseth’s speech. Nevertheless, it is legitimate to debate whether Norway should protect young, combat-ready men from Ukraine when so many others could be in greater need of that space.
War puts liberalism to the test
Norway, often seen internationally as a pioneer in gender equality, is now experiencing pressure on liberal ideas of neutral gender roles as a result of the tense global situation and war. These developments raise uncomfortable dilemmas that most societies would prefer not to confront. Conservative politicians are likely to use dilemmas like these to promote their own policies, as Erlend Wiborg is now doing. Such debates are likely to deepen polarization not only in Norway, but across Western societies facing similar tensions between liberal and conservative worldviews.
Are you aware that the geopolitical situation and the war in Ukraine are, to a large extent, about securing critical minerals? Read more here.
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