Ukraine Asked EU to Restrict Protection for Military-Age Men, Commissioner Says

Ukraine has asked the European Union to consider excluding military-age men from temporary protection programs for displaced Ukrainians, according to EU Migration Commissioner Magnus Brunner.

The proposal, according to DW, emerged during a meeting of EU justice and interior ministers in Luxembourg on Thursday, where member states discussed extending temporary protection for Ukrainians fleeing Russia’s full-scale invasion beyond its current expiration date.

“All member states support extending temporary protection until March 2028,” Cyprus Deputy Migration Minister Nicholas Ioannides said after the meeting. Cyprus currently holds the rotating presidency of the Council of the European Union.

However, several countries are pushing for changes to the scheme, including possible restrictions on men aged 23 to 60 who fall within Ukraine’s mobilization age range.

“This is also something the Ukrainians are asking us to do,” Brunner said, referring to discussions on limiting access to temporary protection for military-age men.

The issue has become increasingly sensitive in countries hosting large Ukrainian populations, including Poland, Germany, Austria, the Czech Republic and the Baltic states.

Despite reports of a potential exclusion, EU officials stressed that no decision has been made. Previous discussions focused on future applicants rather than Ukrainians already covered by temporary protection.

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The European Commission is expected to present a formal proposal in the coming weeks outlining the future of the protection regime. Any changes would require approval from EU member states.

The bloc remains divided. Germany, Sweden and Poland have expressed support for tighter rules for military-age Ukrainian men, while Estonia and Luxembourg favor extending the current system without major changes.

Austria has proposed going even further, calling for automatic temporary protection for men aged 23-60 to end in March 2027.

The temporary protection mechanism was activated shortly after Russia launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, allowing millions of displaced Ukrainians to live, work and access services across the European Union without going through standard asylum procedures.