The European Union agreed this Wednesday to extend until March 4, 2028, the temporary protection status granted to Ukrainian people fleeing the war against Russia. However, the new regulation excludes citizens of fighting age, mainly men between 23 and 60 years old who are likely to be mobilized to fight against the Russian invader. The limitation will only affect new applicants, according to the European Commission, which explained that the initiative responds to the request of the Ukrainian Government. So far, temporary protection — which has already been granted to more than 4.33 million people since the invasion began in March 2022 — had been extended until March 4, 2027.
“We continue to support Ukraine,” said Jim O’Callaghan, Ireland’s Minister for Migration, the country holding the EU Council presidency this semester. “And as part of our support, we also want to ensure that Ukraine can defend itself. Therefore, our temporary protection program respects Ukraine’s legitimate needs,” he added.
Beneficiaries of temporary protection in the EU enjoy residence permits, access to the labor market and housing, medical and social assistance, and education for minors, according to the European Commission. Starting next year, men of fighting age who apply must prove they have fulfilled their “military obligations,” for example, by presenting a passport with an exit stamp issued by Ukrainian authorities proving they left Ukraine legally or by presenting a document confirming exemption or fulfillment of military obligations. Kiev allows avoidance of mobilization for people with certain disabilities, parents of three or more children under 18, and those who provide full-time care for sick relatives.
Adult men represent 26.65% of Ukrainian refugees in Europe. However, there are no figures on how many of them arrived irregularly or are exempt from fighting. More than 10,000 people crossed illegally from Ukraine into the European Union in 2025, about 1,000 people this year, according to data from Frontex, the EU border agency.
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Several human rights and refugee rights organizations have warned against the European decision and caution that it symbolizes a particularly harsh future. “This decision means that many Ukrainian men fleeing the war would become undocumented in the EU, exposing them to greater insecurity, exploitation, and abuse,” warns Laetitia Van der Vennet of the organization PICUM. “The measure undermines the EU’s commitment to protect people forced to flee conflict and creates serious practical and legal problems for member states responsible for its implementation,” she adds.
The Council of Europe’s Commissioner for Human Rights, Michael O’Flaherty, has criticized the EU’s decision. “Now is the time for greater solidarity, not less,” he stressed in a statement.
The European exclusion of temporary protection for Ukrainians of fighting age comes at a time when Ukraine is trying to fight a chronic shortage of military personnel as nearly four and a half years of war have passed. Last June, Volodymyr Zelenski’s government announced a reform of the system to alleviate the personnel crisis, including salary increases, fixed-term contracts, and increased recruitment of foreign contractors.
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