The European Commission proposed extending temporary protection for Ukrainian refugees in the EU until March 2028 as Russia’s war continues.
The plan also includes a voluntary return programme, although rights groups warned against reducing protections and urged continued support for displaced Ukrainians.
The European Commission on Friday proposed extending temporary protection for Ukrainians living in the European Union until March 2028, while introducing restrictions that would limit access for newly arriving men of military age who do not have authorisation from Kyiv to leave the country.
If approved, the proposal would extend the bloc’s Temporary Protection Directive beyond its current expiry date of March 2027 but would exclude new arrivals who are subject to Ukraine’s military obligations and lack official permission to depart.
EU Migration Commissioner Magnus Brunner said the proposal was designed to balance humanitarian protection with Ukraine’s defence requirements.
"To ensure this, temporary protection is not to be granted as a rule to newly arriving persons who are not authorized by the Ukrainian authorities to leave Ukraine in view of their military obligations," he said, adding that Ukrainian authorities had asked the EU to introduce the exemption.
Brunner also said: "Our proposal takes into account Ukraine's evolving defence needs."
EU data show that more than 4.33 million people who fled Ukraine are currently benefiting from the Temporary Protection Directive, which was activated after Russia’s full-scale invasion in February 2022.
Established as an emergency mechanism, the scheme allows Ukrainians to receive refugee-like protection without applying for asylum and grants access to residence permits, employment and social welfare across member states.
EU officials said individuals already covered under the scheme would retain their status regardless of age.
The proposal requires approval by qualified majority among EU member states, meaning support from at least 15 of the bloc’s 27 countries representing at least 65 per cent of the EU population.
The move drew concern from human rights advocates.
The Council of Europe’s human rights commissioner warned against reducing protections for displaced Ukrainians and urged European governments to maintain support.
Adult men currently account for 26.6 per cent of Ukrainian refugees in Europe, although there are no figures on how many are of military age or arrived irregularly. Frontex data show that nearly 1,000 people have crossed Ukraine’s border into the EU irregularly this year, while more than 10,000 did so in 2025.
Separately, the Commission proposed launching a voluntary return programme for Ukrainians in Europe who choose to go back to their country.
A similar approach was announced by Denmark a day earlier. Under the Danish policy, Ukrainian men aged 23 to 60 will receive residence permits only if they can prove exemption from military service.
Although Denmark is not part of the EU’s temporary protection system because of its migration opt-out, it introduced a comparable framework after the start of the war.
(with inputs from Reuters and Euronews)
