The European Commission has proposed excluding certain Ukrainian men from the EU's temporary protection scheme if they are not legally permitted to leave their country.
Commissioner for Internal Affairs and Migration Magnus Brunner said on Friday that proposal comes in response to a request by the Ukrainian government. Newly arrived men who are not authorised to leave Ukraine due to their military obligation, under Ukrainian law, will not be granted protection.
"This is what Ukraine has asked for, and this is what we are doing," Brunner said.
According to the Commission, the proposed change would apply only to new applicants. Ukrainians already benefiting from temporary protection in the EU would not be affected.
In practice, the measure would primarily concern men of fighting age who arrive in the EU and submit their first application for temporary protection.
The Commission has also proposed extending the EU's temporary protection scheme for Ukrainians fleeing Russia's full-scale invasion by one year, from March 2027 to March 2028.
