EU Extends Protection for 4.4 Million Ukrainians to 2028, Bars Military-Age Men
Updated
Updated · Kyiv Independent · Jun 26
EU Extends Protection for 4.4 Million Ukrainians to 2028, Bars Military-Age Men
3 articles · Updated · Kyiv Independent · Jun 26
Summary
March 2028 is the new end date for the EU’s temporary protection scheme, giving 4.4 million Ukrainians another year of legal cover beyond the previous March 2027 expiry.
Military-age Ukrainian men will no longer be approved for the scheme after Kyiv asked for the restriction, though men already covered will keep their status and others may still seek asylum individually.
Weeks from now, the change is due to take effect once EU states formally adopt it and the measure is published in the bloc’s official journal.
Denmark made a similar move a day earlier, and Czechia is drafting tighter rules, showing a broader European shift as governments debate replacing the emergency regime with a longer-term system.
Michael O’Flaherty, the Council of Europe’s human rights commissioner, warned the restriction could undermine protection claims tied to military service and requires case-by-case assessment.