The European Union agreed Wednesday to extend temporary protection for Ukrainian refugees until March 4, 2028, while introducing new restrictions for men subject to military service obligations.
The decision, reached by member state representatives following a European Commission proposal from June 26, bars first-time applicants who are eligible for military service from receiving protected status. Existing beneficiaries remain unaffected. New applicants must demonstrate they have fulfilled their military obligations, for instance by presenting a passport bearing a Ukrainian exit stamp.
Under Ukrainian martial law, men aged 23 to 60 are generally prohibited from leaving the country. More than 4.4 million Ukrainians currently hold temporary protection status across the bloc, with the largest populations in Germany, Poland and the Czech Republic.