Interior ministers from European Union countries have voiced their positions regarding the possible restriction of temporary protection for male citizens of Ukraine of conscription age. This issue was discussed during the EU Council meeting on internal affairs held in Luxembourg.
This is reported by Kyiv24
Positions of Germany, Sweden, and Poland on changes in protection
Germany, Sweden, and Poland supported the idea of introducing restrictions for Ukrainian men of conscription age who are currently under temporary protection in EU countries. German Interior Minister Alexander Dobrindt noted that Berlin leans towards extending temporary protection but under new conditions. According to him, a variant is being discussed where men of conscription age would no longer fall under the scope of this protection directive, and the regular asylum procedure would apply to them.
“There are various proposals for discussion, but we will move in the direction where the extension of the directive is possible, but under changed conditions – so that conscription-age individuals no longer fall under the scope of this directive,” said the German minister.
Swedish Migration Minister Johan Forssell added that Stockholm also supports the approach where Ukrainian men subject to mobilization could be excluded from temporary protection. He stated that this proposal is “reasonable,” as it is important for more men to remain in Ukraine to participate in military actions.
Poland, represented by Deputy Interior Minister Maciej Duszczyk, agreed with this position, expressing support for the idea of limiting temporary protection to those Ukrainian men who, under Ukrainian law, do not have the right to leave the country. At the same time, the Polish side opposed the so-called geographical principle, where protection is not granted to people from certain “safe” regions of Ukraine.
Discussion among EU countries and next steps
EU Commissioner for Home Affairs Magnus Brunner confirmed that among the options being considered by EU member states is the exclusion of men aged 23 to 60 from the temporary protection system, and he suggested the possibility of reaching a consensus on this issue.
However, not all states support this approach. Estonian Interior Minister Igor Taro expressed the opinion that it is advisable to maintain the directive on temporary protection in its current form and to discuss changes only after consultations with Ukraine. A similar position was taken by Luxembourg’s Interior Minister Leon Gloden, who emphasized the need for automatic extension of protection for Ukrainians.
Currently, the European Commission and EU member states are considering the possibility of extending the temporary protection directive for Ukrainian citizens until March 2028. For those who already have temporary protection, it is planned to automatically extend it for another year. At the same time, for new applicants who do not have the right to leave Ukraine due to mobilization legislation, protection in the EU may no longer be granted. A final decision on this matter has not yet been made; the European Commission will present its proposal after additional consultations with member states by the end of July.