Von der Leyen proposes restricting temporary protection for Ukrainian refugees in the EU

European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen has proposed narrowing the range of people covered by the simplified reception regime for Ukrainian refugees in EU member states.

This is stated in her letter to EU leaders ahead of the upcoming union summit, according to Spiegel.

According to the document, the European Commission intends to extend the temporary protection mechanism for Ukrainian citizens who have fled the war, while simultaneously limiting its scope.

“The European Commission will propose extending temporary protection for people fleeing Russian aggression against Ukraine,” von der Leyen’s letter states.

At the same time, she said, the mechanism’s application should be restricted, but without undermining Ukraine’s self-defense. Von der Leyen did not disclose the specific parameters of the initiative. As Spiegel notes, this could mean tightening the rules for entry and granting temporary protection to men of conscription age. If the European Commission’s initiative is approved by member states, the European Union will link its migration policy toward Ukrainians to Ukraine’s mobilization needs.

The issue had already been discussed by EU interior ministers in early June. At that time, Germany, Sweden, and Austria spoke in favor of restricting the admission of Ukrainian citizens of military age. According to DPA, broad support was given to a variant providing for the cancellation of temporary protection for men between the ages of 23 and 60.

German Chancellor Friedrich Merz had already called on Kyiv last year to restrict the departure of men of conscription age abroad.

“I asked him to ensure that these young men stay in the country, because they are needed by Ukraine, not by Germany,” Merz said after meeting with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky.

According to the European Commission, more than 4.3 million Ukrainian citizens have received temporary protection status since the start of the war. This regime expires on March 4, 2027. EU Migration Commissioner Magnus Brunner said that Brussels will shortly present a proposal to extend the program. Against the backdrop of the protracted war, Germany, Ireland, Poland, the Czech Republic, and other countries have already begun cutting social payments and assistance programs for Ukrainians.