With war still raging and Ukraine launching a new recruitment drive to fill its military ranks, the EU has proposed excluding Ukrainians with military obligations from blanket protections as of next year.
Nikolaj Nielsen
The European Commission last week proposed slapping a ban on arriving Ukrainians with military obligations, which could come into force in March 2027 following its adoption.
“That means that ‘temporary protection’ [the EU blanket welcome for Ukrainian refugees] will not be granted as a rule, to newly-arriving persons who are not authorised by the Ukrainian authorities to leave Ukraine in view of their military obligations,” a European Commission spokesperson explained to reporters in Brussels on Monday (29 June).
Magnus Brunner, the EU’s home affairs commissioner, said the curtailment takes into account Ukraine’s evolving defence needs as Russia continues to pound the country with drones, missiles and ground forces.
Ukraine has also been attempting to recruit new people into its fighting forces, following years of fighting that have seen Russia seize approximately 20 percent of its territory.
The latest measure would likely affect men of fighting age, ranging anywhere from the mid-20s to 60.
The EU has been providing Ukrainians with a blanket temporary protection status since 2022, which has been extended annually.
The latest proposed one-year extension, including the suspension of protection for men of military age, if adopted, would apply from 5 March 2027 to 4 March 2028.
Ukraine does not release detailed casualty figures, but the US-based Center for Strategic and International Studies says the country likely has up to 600,000 casualties – comprising killed, wounded, and missing.
