Hungary rejects EU plan to limit protection for Ukrainian men

Hungary has rejected a European Commission proposal to exclude newly arriving Ukrainian men subject to military obligations from automatic EU temporary protection, a move that aligns Budapest with several other member states resisting the change. Prime Minister Péter Magyar announced the decision in parliament on Tuesday, June 30, stating that Hungary had already conveyed its position at a recent meeting of EU interior ministers.

The Commission’s proposal, unveiled on June 26, seeks to extend temporary protection for approximately 4.4 million Ukrainians already in the EU until March 4, 2028. However, it would withhold that automatic status from new arrivals who are liable for Ukrainian military service and cannot prove they were legally permitted to leave the country. Existing beneficiaries would not be affected, and excluded individuals could still apply for asylum through standard procedures. The restriction would take effect upon adoption, not in March 2027 as initially reported in some outlets.

Prime Minister Magyar said six or seven other EU countries also oppose the plan, though he did not name them. Public reporting has identified Spain and Italy as sharing Hungary’s...