Temporary protection in the EU until March 2027: what guarantees remain for Ukrainian men of military age
The decision to extend the temporary protection mechanism for citizens of Ukraine in the territory of the European Union until March 2027 sets clear limits for the stay of millions of refugees in the Member States. According to this decision, no exceptions based on age or gender are provided for in this regime. The European Commission’s explanation was made in response to questions regarding the status of men of military age who are in the EU countries, and confirmed the immutability of previously adopted rules.
The decision of the 27 states and its limits
The extension of temporary protection was supported by all 27 states of the European Union, which means a coordinated position at the level of both EU institutions and national governments. This is a mechanism that will be in effect until March 2027 and covers all citizens of Ukraine who fall under its conditions.
During a briefing in Brussels, European Commission spokesman Markus Lammert, commenting on the possibility of refusing to grant temporary protection to men of military age, emphasized:
“Temporary protection is a decision we made at the EU level and at the level of the member states until 2027, that is, until March next year. The current rules remain in force, and that’s all I can say at the moment.”
Thus, the European Commission confirmed that, for a specified period, Member States will apply the same approaches to all categories of Ukrainian citizens who have received or are receiving this status.
Men of military age within the framework of general rules
The European Commission’s clarification specifically emphasizes that EU legislation on temporary protection does not distinguish between women, children or men depending on their age. This means that men of military age enjoy the same rights within the framework of the mechanism as other Ukrainian citizens.
The right to residence, access to the labor market, social services and basic guarantees will be maintained throughout the entire period of validity of the decision, unless there are changes in the legal regime itself. At this point, as noted by the European Commission, the previously adopted rules remain unchanged.
The scale of temporary protection in figures
According to Eurostat, as of the end of 2025, 4.35 million Ukrainian citizens with temporary protection status were in the European Union countries. This figure reflects the overall scale of the mechanism and demonstrates that the decision to extend it matters to a significant number of people.
Germany, Poland and the Czech Republic accepted the largest number of Ukrainians, if we consider absolute figures. At the same time, in relation to the size of their own population, the first positions are occupied by the Czech Republic, Poland and Slovakia, which indicates the different burden on the social systems of the member states.
The situation in Germany, where almost half a million Ukrainians who previously applied for temporary protection there have already left, is particularly noteworthy. This indicator reflects the dynamics of movement within the European Union and the changing life circumstances of some Ukrainian citizens.
The published clarification of the European Commission fixes the main point: until March 2027, the rules of temporary protection remain in force in the form in which they were agreed by the member states. The lack of separation by age or gender means that men of draft age will continue to enjoy this status on the same terms as other Ukrainians, as long as the relevant EU decision remains in effect.
