EU extends Ukrainian protection to 2028, bars male migrants

The European Commission has proposed extending the European Union's temporary protection for Ukrainian refugees until March 4, 2028, while introducing a new restriction that would deny this status to newly arriving men of military age who are not authorized to leave Ukraine. The proposal, announced by European Commissioner for Migration Magnus Brunner on Friday, June 26, aims to balance continued support for displaced Ukrainians with Kyiv's need for military personnel as the war with Russia continues.

The Temporary Protection Directive, first activated in March 2022 following Russia's full-scale invasion, currently provides more than 4.3 million Ukrainians with the right to live, work, study, and access healthcare and social services across the EU without undergoing the standard asylum process. It is set to expire on March 4, 2027. The new proposal would extend this protection for an additional year.

A key change in the proposal is the exclusion of newly arriving men who are subject to Ukraine's military service obligations. Brunner stated the measure was developed in close coordination with Ukrainian authorities and directly responds to a request from Kyiv. He emphasized that...