European Commission Proposes Ending Temporary Protection for Military-Age Ukrainian Refugees

The European Commission announced a proposal to revoke the temporary protection status within the European Union for newly arrived Ukrainian refugees who are eligible for military service.

Magnus Brunner, the European Commissioner for Home Affairs and Migration, stated at a press conference in Brussels, "We propose to deny temporary protection status to Ukrainians who are not allowed to leave Ukraine," emphasizing that the EU will not expel those who arrived earlier. He added, "Nothing will change for those who are already here."

When asked by journalists whether this measure primarily targets "people of military conscription age," the commissioner confirmed, "This is what Ukraine requested from us," adding that Brussels does not see any "human rights issues" related to this matter.

EU Considers Restricting Entry for Male Ukrainian Refugees

This proposal is unprecedented and currently awaits approval from the EU Council, which is highly likely. Earlier this month, EU interior ministers held a preliminary discussion on this possibility, with Germany and Poland among the main supporters of such a step.

The European Commission also recommended extending the temporary protection status for Ukrainians until March 4, 2028, alongside launching a "voluntary return program for Ukrainians."

Temporary protection status was adopted by the EU in March 2022 for refugees from Ukraine. This status grants Ukrainian citizens the right to reside, work, study, and receive benefits within the EU without needing visas or residence permits.

Currently, approximately 4.4 million Ukrainian refugees reside in the EU, with nearly half located in Germany and Poland. According to Eurostat data, about 26% of these refugees are men. There are no official statistics available concerning the number of refugees of conscription age.

Ukrainian authorities are reportedly facing a severe shortage of recruits due to heavy losses suffered by Ukrainian forces in battles with the Russian army. The forced and arbitrary conscription practiced by authorities has sparked widespread protests across the country.