The Council of the European Union has approved, through a written procedure, the extension of temporary protection for Ukrainians forced to seek refuge from the war for another year, until March 4, 2028.
According to the latest Eurostat data, nearly 4.4 million Ukrainians are currently under temporary protection in EU countries, the majority of them women and children. Extending the mechanism provides Ukrainians who were forced to leave the country because of the war with clear, stable and predictable conditions of stay, legal certainty, and access to basic rights and services across the EU.
“We are grateful to the European Union and its member states for the decision to extend temporary protection for our citizens who have been forced to seek refuge from the war. It is an important signal of continued support for Ukraine and Ukrainians and provides our citizens with stability, legal certainty and predictability for as long as the war continues,” said Denys Uliutin, Ukraine’s Minister of Social Policy, Family and Unity.
Recognizing both the need to protect displaced people and Ukraine’s need to defend itself against Russia’s unlawful aggression, EU countries agreed that temporary protection should be granted only to those who comply with Ukraine’s military service obligations. This provision will not apply to Ukrainians who already benefit from temporary protection in European Union countries.
The EU Temporary Protection Directive was activated in March 2022 in response to Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine. The directive gives Ukrainian citizens the right to legally reside in EU countries and provides access to essential rights and services, including accommodation, employment, healthcare and education.
