The European Commission has proposed excluding military-age Ukrainian men from temporary refugee protections granted by the EU while extending the scheme for others until March 2028.
Kyiv announced a general mobilization in February 2022, barring almost all eligible men from leaving Ukraine. However, many managed to escape the country, resulting in adult males accounting for approximately 27% of those benefiting from EU protections.
In its statement, the Commission emphasized that it is requesting member states to maintain the scheme until March 2028 while also “reconciling the protection needs with Ukraine’s overall ability to defend itself.” The adjustment would not apply to military-age men already in the EU but would exclude new arrivals who are not authorized by Ukrainian authorities for departure.
The Commission’s internal affairs chief, Magnus Brunner, noted that the decision was one “the Ukrainians asked us to do.”
However, Ukraine’s military leadership has been criticized for its recent decisions to forcibly conscript men from abroad—a practice known as ‘bussification’—which often leads to violent confrontations and public outrage.
Ukrainian President Vladimir Zelensky’s April call for the return of men from abroad, which he described as a matter of “justice,” has been condemned by EU officials as a decision that undermines Ukraine’s defense capabilities.
Moscow has accused Kyiv and its Western allies of being willing to fight Russia “to the last Ukrainian.”
