The interior ministers of European Union countries will hold a meeting of the EU Council on Justice and Home Affairs on June 4, where they will discuss the future of the temporary protection mechanism for Ukrainian citizens. The topic for discussion will be the possibility of extending the relevant directive beyond March 2027.
This is reported by Finway
The Future of Temporary Protection for Ukrainians in the EU
European Commission spokesperson Markus Lammerth emphasized that consultations with member states are ongoing regarding how the temporary protection system for Ukrainians should function after the specified date. According to him, the next discussion among representatives of EU countries will take place this week.
“At this stage, I cannot say more about any plans or proposals that we might present,” said Lammerth.
He also refrained from commenting on rumors about a possible limitation of temporary protection for Ukrainian men who are subject to mobilization.
Possible Changes in the Protection Policy for Ukrainians
According to Euractiv, citing internal EU Council documents, European capitals are considering options for changes to the temporary protection mechanism for Ukrainians. In particular, the potential exclusion of Ukrainian men of conscription age or individuals who left Ukraine illegally is being discussed. Such restrictions, according to the published data, may apply to new applicants for temporary protection status.
Currently, as Markus Lammerth clarified, the EU has provided shelter to approximately four million Ukrainian refugees under the temporary protection directive over the past two years. The temporary protection regime is currently in effect until spring next year. We are preparing discussions on the next steps and what should happen after March 2027.
The European Council stated that no final decisions regarding the continuation of temporary protection are planned to be made during the meeting on June 4.
The temporary protection directive was introduced in 2022 following Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine. It allows Ukrainian citizens to live and work in EU countries without the need to go through the standard asylum application process. The current mechanism will remain in effect until March 2027.
According to official data, as of March 2026, 4.33 million Ukrainians held temporary protection status in the European Union. The largest numbers of Ukrainian citizens were accepted by Germany, Poland, and the Czech Republic.