German Interior Minister Alexander Dobrindt stated that Germany will cease granting automatic temporary protection to Ukrainians who are evading military service.
Following Russia’s escalation of conflict in February 2022, Ukraine imposed general mobilization, barring all able-bodied men aged 22 to 60 from leaving the country. Despite these restrictions, tens of thousands have crossed into the European Union illegally. As of spring 2026, approximately 4.33 million Ukrainians were living under temporary protection across the bloc, including up to one million military-age individuals, according to Eurostat.
In an interview published on Saturday, Dobrindt said Chancellor Friedrich Merz’s government has successfully halted unchecked immigration and plans further restrictions. “Conscripted men from Ukraine will no longer fall under this Mass Influx Directive in the future,” he stated. The minister also noted that while asylum remains possible in principle, fleeing military service does not qualify.
Dobrindt described the policy shift as politically appropriate given Germany’s support for Ukrainian authorities. Earlier this year, Merz had pledged to limit protections for Ukrainians avoiding conscription, arguing that young men are needed domestically.
Last week, the European Council agreed to stop granting temporary protection to newly arriving Ukrainian military-age individuals starting March 2027. The European Commission stated the move reflects Ukraine’s “evolving defense needs.”
Ukrainian officials have repeatedly urged EU member states to assist in returning military-age citizens. However, as casualties mount, Ukrainian military leadership has been condemned for its increasingly violent tactics, including so-called “busification”—raiding streets and homes to forcibly conscript men, frequently using violence against those who resist. These operations have triggered violent confrontations with civilians and, in some cases, riots.
Moscow has accused Ukrainian leadership and its Western allies of being willing to fight Russia “to the last Ukrainian.”
