EU proposes excluding some newly arriving Ukrainians from temporary protection

The European Commission has proposed excluding newly arriving Ukrainians who are not allowed to leave their country because of military obligations from the EU's temporary protection scheme, European Commissioner for Internal Affairs and Migration Magnus Brunner said on Friday.

Brunner said temporary protection should continue until March 4, 2028, but with a targeted adjustment requested by Kyiv.

"Our proposal provides that temporary protection should not be granted to newly arriving persons who are not allowed to leave Ukraine because of their military obligations under Ukrainian law," Brunner told reporters in Brussels.

"This is what Ukraine has asked us to do, and this is what we are doing," he said, adding that the measure also reflects discussions with EU member states, particularly those hosting the largest numbers of Ukrainian refugees.

Brunner said the proposal aims to keep the temporary protection framework "credible" while aligning it with Ukraine's defense and recovery needs.

The EU activated the Temporary Protection Directive in March 2022 following Russia's invasion of Ukraine, granting displaced Ukrainians the right to live, work and access education, healthcare and social services across the bloc.

More than 4.4 million Ukrainians are currently benefiting from temporary protection in the EU, according to the commission.

Brunner said the existing framework is due to expire in March 2027, making it necessary to ensure "continuity, clarity and stability" through another one-year extension.