Media: EU weighs restricting temporary protection for some Ukrainian men

European Union member states are considering whether to exclude Ukrainian men of military age from future extensions of the bloc’s temporary protection scheme, which currently provides legal status and support to more than four million people displaced by Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.

The proposal emerged during discussions on the future of the EU’s Temporary Protection Directive (TPD), a mechanism introduced after Russia’s full-scale invasion in 2022 that allows Ukrainians to live and work across the EU without applying for asylum through national systems, Euractiv reports.

According to an internal Council of the European Union document seen by Euractiv, one option under consideration would extend the protection framework while narrowing eligibility for new applicants. Potential changes include “the exclusion of men of conscription age” and individuals who did not leave Ukraine through legal channels.

The current scheme is set to remain in force until March 2027 following an extension agreed by EU governments last year. Officials are now debating whether to prolong the programme further as the war enters its fifth year.

Several member states have expressed concern that a growing share of recent arrivals consists of military-age men. According to the document, some governments argue that revising the framework could support Ukraine’s war effort and help preserve the workforce needed for the country’s eventual reconstruction.

Ukraine has faced mounting manpower shortages during the conflict and has taken steps to boost recruitment, including lowering the mobilisation age from 27 to 25 in 2024.

The future of the protection scheme is expected to be discussed by EU migration ministers at this week's Justice and Home Affairs Council meeting. Any extension or modification would require a formal proposal from the European Commission.

The Commission has not yet indicated whether it will seek another extension, saying only that consultations with member states are continuing.

As of March 2026, approximately 4.33 million Ukrainians held temporary protection status across the EU. Germany hosted the largest number, with 1.27 million beneficiaries, followed by Poland with 961,405 and the Czech Republic with 379,820.

Women accounted for 43.3% of beneficiaries, children for 30.1%, and adult men for 26.6%, according to EU data.

By Sabina Mammadli