EU countries support the extension of temporary protection for Ukrainians until 2028 but may limit it for men of conscription age, as requested in Kyiv. A final decision has not yet been made.
As of today, all member states of the European Union agree that the directive on temporary protection (TPD) for Ukrainians should be extended until March 2028; however, many countries advocate for changes in the scope of protection under certain conditions.
This was stated by the Deputy Minister for Migration of Cyprus - the country holding the presidency of the Council - Nicholas Ioannides during a final conference held on Thursday, June 4, in Luxembourg after the conclusion of the EU Council meeting on justice and home affairs.
According to him, the EU Council meeting demonstrated "unity in support of Ukraine." "I think this will allow us to reach an agreement for the benefit of the Ukrainian people, and at the same time, this decision will not put pressure on member states accepting Ukrainians," he said.
EU Commissioner: Excluding Men from TPD is Requested in Ukraine
One of the issues discussed at the meeting was the exclusion of men of conscription age - from 23 to 60 years - from the scope of the TPD, said EU Commissioner for Home Affairs and Migration Magnus Brunner. "This is also what Ukrainians are asking us to do," he stated.
Brunner added that during the discussion, participants "listened carefully to the ministers from the countries" that have accepted the most Ukrainian refugees - the Czech Republic, the Baltic states, Poland, Germany, and Austria.
He promised that in the coming weeks, the European Commission would present a proposal on "how we move forward and what the further path of temporary protection" for Ukrainians will be. The position of the European Commission must be approved by a qualified majority of EU member states.
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