European Union member states agreed on Wednesday, July 15th to extend temporary protection rights for Ukrainian refugees until March 2028, while introducing a significant policy shift that excludes newly arriving men of military age. This decision, requested by Kyiv to help secure vital military manpower, means that the emergency protections—originally triggered after Russia’s 2022 invasion—will no longer cover new applicants who fail to satisfy their domestic military obligations back home. Under Ukrainian wartime laws, men aged 23 to 60 are generally prohibited from leaving the country.
Draft-Age Ukrainians Excluded from Future Protection in EU Member States
Following a request from Kyiv, the extension of protection until 2028 excludes newly arriving men of military age but the existing rights for 4.4M current beneficiaries remain unaffected.
