During a recent meeting of the EU Council on June 4, 2023, European Commissioner for Home Affairs, Magnus Brunner, announced that the initiative to exclude Ukrainian men of draft age from temporary protection is supported by Ukraine. This discussion took place in Luxembourg, where EU member states deliberated on the future of temporary protection for Ukrainian refugees.
Brunner highlighted that member states have generally agreed to extend temporary protection for Ukrainians in the EU until 2028. However, some countries expressed the need for restrictions, particularly concerning men aged 23 to 60, who fall within the draft age. He noted, “The continuation of temporary protection is a key issue. There are various approaches, one of which is the exclusion of men of conscription age, which is also desired by the Ukrainian side.”
Nicolas Ioannides, Cyprus’s Deputy Minister for Migration and International Protection, confirmed that all EU countries concurred on the necessity of extending temporary protection. He added that while many member states are open to discussions regarding potential adjustments to the scope of protection, there are concerns about ensuring safeguards to prevent further complications should the parameters of protection change.
The European Commission is expected to present its proposal regarding the future of the temporary protection directive in the coming weeks, according to Brunner. He indicated that the Commission will particularly consider the positions of countries that have welcomed the largest numbers of Ukrainian refugees, including Poland, Germany, the Czech Republic, Austria, and the Baltic states.
Prior to the meeting, Germany, Sweden, and Poland publicly supported the idea of limiting automatic temporary protection for men of draft age, while Estonia and Luxembourg opposed it. Swedish Migration Minister Johan Forssell emphasized the importance of keeping more men in Ukraine to fight. German Interior Minister Alexander Dobrindt stated that Berlin supports the extension of temporary protection but under modified conditions that would exclude men of draft age from automatic protection. Poland’s Deputy Minister of the Interior, Maciej Duszczyk, also indicated Warsaw’s general agreement with the proposed restrictions.
In April, during a visit to Germany, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky mentioned that Ukrainian and German authorities should address the issue of returning men of draft age who left the country, potentially violating Ukrainian law. He referred to this matter as one of “rotation and fairness.” Since the onset of Russia’s large-scale aggression against Ukraine and the implementation of martial law and general mobilization, restrictions have been placed on the ability of men aged 18 to 60 to leave the country.
In the summer of 2025, Ukraine permitted men who had not reached draft age (18 to 22 years) to travel abroad. Currently, the European Commission has not yet formulated an official proposal regarding Ukrainian men of draft age in the EU. However, discussions are focused on potential newcomers rather than those already holding temporary protection status in the EU, as noted by diplomats and officials within the Commission.
The EU is discussing the future of temporary protection for Ukrainian refugees, particularly regarding men of draft age. While there is broad support for extending protection until 2028, some member states advocate for restrictions, aligning with Ukraine's position on the matter.