EU Commission proposes extending Ukraine refugee protection but excluding fighting-age men
The European Commission proposes to extend temporary protection for Ukrainian war refugees until March 2028, but not for newly arriving men of conscription age.
EU Commission Proposal
The European Commission on Friday proposed extending temporary protection status for individuals fleeing the war in Ukraine until March 2028 — but excluding newly arrived men of fighting age. The scheme currently covers more than 4 million people, granting them the right to live, work, and study in EU countries. It has been extended several times since Russia’s full-scale invasion; without a new decision, it would expire in March 2027.
Under the Commission’s plan, the status would be extended until March 4, 2028, but not for those with “military obligations” who are not allowed to leave Ukraine. Ukraine bars men aged 25 to 60 (conscription age) and men aged 23 to 25 (reserve list) from leaving the country. The limitation would not apply to men who already received temporary protection before the new rules enter into force.
In its announcement, the Commission said the plan aimed to “reconcile the protection needs with Ukraine’s overall ability to defend itself against Russia’s illegal war of aggression.” The proposal follows a ministerial discussion earlier this month that showed “strong support” for excluding fighting-age men, Swedish Migration Minister Johan Forssell told POLITICO.
Council of Europe Commissioner for Human Rights Michael O’Flaherty warned against a “wholesale rejection” of conscription-age men. “What I want to make sure is that those who legitimately can be exempted from conscription have a chance to make their case, like a conscientious objector. And so what we need is a one-by-one consideration of every man’s case,” he told POLITICO. Ukraine “has a legitimate expectation and a legitimate right to impose conscription, but it’s got to do so with respect to the law rule book,” O’Flaherty added.
