Ukraine pushes peace talks as EU eyes ending protection for draft‑age refugees

EU interior commissioner Magnus Brunner of Austria announced that the European Union may lift the temporary protection status for Ukrainian men of military age who have fled to EU countries, following a request from President Volodymyr Zelenskyy to return them to the front. Brunner said the measure would take effect once EU member states approve it, prompting questions about how deportations would be carried out and drawing criticism from human‑rights groups.

In a separate development, President Zelenskyy told a nightly video address that Ukraine has transmitted its peace proposal to Russian President Vladimir Putin. He said, “the friends of (Kremlin chief Vladimir) Putin have heard from us that a meeting and an end to the war are possible.” Zelenskyy also highlighted recent prisoner‑of‑war exchanges and the continued use of drone attacks against Russian targets.