EU Ministers Consider Limiting Temporary Protection for Ukrainian Men of Conscription Age
Ministers from EU member states voiced strong support for a proposal that would restrict the EU’s temporary protection scheme for Ukrainian men of conscription age who migrate to Europe. Sweden’s immigration minister Yohan Forsell said his government backs the idea, noting that “more men need to stay in Ukraine and fight.”
The measure was debated at a Justice and Home Affairs Council meeting in Luxembourg and would apply only to new arrivals, leaving existing beneficiaries unchanged. The temporary protection directive, activated after Russia’s invasion in February 2022 and extended three times, currently grants residence permits, access to the labour market and welfare benefits and is set to expire in March 2027.
More than 4.33 million Ukrainians have benefited from the scheme, with Germany hosting about 29 % of them, followed by Poland and the Czech Republic, according to Eurostat. Any change would require a proposal from the European Commission and approval by the EU member‑state governments.