European Commission Proposes Restricting Temporary Protection for Ukrainian Men of Conscription Age

BRUSSELS, June 26. /TASS/. The European Commission has for the first time suggested restricting temporary protection for newly arriving Ukrainian refugees who are fit for military service, Commissioner for Home Affairs and Migration Magnus Brunner said at a press conference in Brussels.

"We propose a targeted adjustment. Our proposal provides that temporary protection should not be granted to newly arriving persons who are not allowed to leave Ukraine," he pointed out, adding that "nothing changes for the ones who are already here."

Asked whether the measure would primarily apply to people of conscription age, he replied in the affirmative.

"This is what Ukraine has asked us to do," Brunner noted. He stressed that Brussels did not see the measure as raising any human rights concerns.

This is the first time such a measure has been proposed. The initiative is likely to be approved by the Council of the European Union, as interior ministers had already discussed the possibility earlier in June. Germany and Poland are among its strongest supporters.

The Commission also recommended extending temporary protection for Ukrainians until March 4, 2028, while launching a voluntary return programme.

Temporary protection for Ukrainian refugees was introduced in the EU in March 2022, granting them the right to reside, work, study, and receive benefits in EU countries without obtaining visas or residence permits. About 4.4 million Ukrainian refugees are currently in the EU, with almost half residing in Germany and Poland. According to Eurostat, around 26% of these refugees are men. There is no publicly available official data on how many are of conscription age.