The proposal emerged during discussions on the future of the EU’s Temporary Protection Directive, which allows Ukrainians to live and work across Europe without going through national asylum procedures. The program is currently in force until March 2027.
According to an internal Council of the European Union document reviewed by Euractiv, options under discussion include extending temporary protection while narrowing its scope, including by “excluding military-age men” or individuals who left Ukraine unlawfully.
Any such restriction would apply to new applicants seeking temporary protection status, the outlet reported.
Last year, the European Commission urged member states to prepare for a possible gradual phaseout of the program. In 2024, it adopted recommendations for a “coordinated transition to more stable legal statuses,” though progress has been uneven across the bloc, according to Euractiv.
The future of the system will be discussed by migration ministers at this week’s Justice and Home Affairs Council meeting. If member states decide to extend or modify the scheme, the European Commission will be required to prepare a formal proposal.
Temporary protection for Ukrainians in the EU
Earlier, Czech far-right SPD leader and parliamentary speaker Tomio Okamura, who has previously made anti-Ukrainian remarks, said Czechia was discussing with the EU the possible termination of temporary protection for Ukrainian military-age men. Okamura also said he supports ending temporary protection for all Ukrainians in Czechia as soon as possible, claiming that Ukrainians “regularly travel back to Ukraine for vacations.”
On May 13, EU special envoy for Ukrainians Ylva Johansson said she expects temporary protection to be extended through 2028.
Under a decision by the Council of the European Union, the directive remains in force until March 4, 2027. It was first activated in March 2022 and has since granted Ukrainians the right to reside in EU countries under temporary protection status.
While individual member states implement the rules and conditions of temporary protection differently, the core benefit remains unchanged: the ability to reside long-term in the EU without obtaining additional visas or residence permits.