https://www.euractiv.com/news/exclusive-eu-weighs-excluding-military-age-ukrainian-men-from-extended-protection-scheme/
EXCLUSIVE: EU may exclude military-age Ukrainian men from protection scheme
Some EU capitals argue the framework should be revised to support Ukraine’s war effort, with any limits applying only to future applicants
EU capitals are considering whether to exclude Ukrainian men of military age from any future extension of the bloc’s temporary protection scheme that has provided shelter to more than four million people fleeing Russia’s invasion.
The proposal emerged during discussions on the future of the EU’s Temporary Protection Directive (TPD), which allows Ukrainians to live and work across Europe without going through national asylum systems. The scheme, activated after Russia’s full-scale invasion in 2022, currently runs until March 2027 following an extension agreed last year.
According to an internal Council of the EU paper seen by Euractiv, among the options under discussion is extending temporary protection while narrowing its scope, including through “the exclusion of men of conscription age” or people who did not leave Ukraine legally.
Any such limitation would apply to new applicants seeking temporary protection status.
Euractiv first reported in March that EU countries were exploring another extension of the framework, which could push the scheme into a sixth year.
Last year, the European Commission urged national capitals to prepare for the eventual phase-out of the programme. In 2024, it adopted recommendations for a “coordinated transition” towards more stable legal statuses, but progress has been uneven so far.
Some national governments have expressed concern that “an increasing proportion of recent arrivals consists of men of conscription age” – with several countries arguing that the framework should be revised “also in the interest of Ukraine”, both to support the country’s resistance against Russia and to aid future reconstruction efforts, the document reads.
Ukraine has faced growing manpower shortages and recruitment challenges as the war with Russia enters its fifth year. In 2024, Ukraine lowered the mobilisation age from 27 to 25 and introduced measures to improve recruitment and military registration.
The future of the framework will be discussed by migration ministers at this week’s Justice and Home Affairs Council, where they are expected to provide political guidance on its next steps. Any future extension or revision would need to be proposed by the EU Commission.
Isn't this sexist? Where is equality?
Feminism, hello?