European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen proposes extending the temporary protection regime for Ukrainian refugees while simultaneously reviewing the scope of its application. One of the discussed measures is to limit access to this protection for men of conscription age.
Ahead of the summit of European Union leaders in Brussels, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen sent a letter to member states outlining her vision for future policy regarding Ukrainian refugees.
According to the document, the European Commission intends to propose extending the temporary protection regime for Ukrainian citizens, while simultaneously narrowing its scope. Von der Leyen emphasizes that the extension of protection should occur in a way that does not weaken Ukraine's ability to defend itself against Russian aggression.
Currently, specific details of the initiative are not disclosed. In particular, the head of the European Commission did not specify which categories of Ukrainians may fall under the new restrictions. Nevertheless, the discussion surrounding men of conscription age in the EU has been ongoing for several months.
At a meeting of the interior ministers of EU countries in early June, Germany and several other states advocated for stricter rules regarding Ukrainian men who may be called up for military service. According to DPA, support was garnered for a proposal to exempt men aged 23 to 60 from the temporary protection directive.
If such an idea is implemented, it will touch on one of the most sensitive topics in European migration policy in recent years.
Currently, Ukrainian citizens benefit from a special protection regime that allows them to legally reside and work in EU countries without undergoing the standard asylum application process. This mechanism was introduced after the onset of Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine and was activated on such a scale for the first time in history.
The directive is currently set to remain in effect until March 4, 2027.
At the same time, the European Commissioner for Migration, Magnus Brunner, has already stated that he will soon present a proposal for further extending the temporary protection regime.
The issue of men of conscription age is also being raised by individual European politicians. For instance, the current Chancellor of Germany, Friedrich Merz, publicly called on Ukrainian authorities last year to restrict the departure of young men abroad.
"I asked him to ensure that these young men remain in the country because they are needed in this country, not in Germany," Merz stated at the time, recalling a conversation with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky.
It is expected that the topic of the future protection regime for millions of Ukrainian citizens will become one of the important discussion points at the upcoming EU summit. However, final decisions have not yet been made, and the details of the European Commission's proposals still need to be officially presented.
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