EU Weighs Ending Protections for Ukrainian Refugees, Media Reports

The EU’s temporary protection program has provided refuge to approximately 4.3 million Ukrainians.

EU countries are considering reassessing the legal status of Ukrainian refugees within the bloc, Euractiv reported, citing a European diplomat. Discussions regarding a potential termination of the Temporary Protection Directive (TPD) could commence as early as June.

Brussels activated the TPD shortly after the Ukraine conflict intensified in early 2022. The directive, created in 2001, offers significant aid, including residence permits, housing, access to work, education, healthcare, financial support, and social services. Although the program was initially scheduled to end in March 2025, it was recently extended to March 2026.

Talks on “exit strategies” are gaining momentum due to a “shifting geopolitical landscape,” according to the diplomat who spoke to Euractiv anonymously. The issue is expected to be a key topic at the upcoming Justice and Home Affairs Council meeting on June 12–13.

While most member states currently support continuing the program, Euractiv noted that legal experts caution that further extensions may strain the directive’s original purpose.

“We’re already pushing the limits with the latest extension,” said Martin Wagner, a senior policy advisor at the International Centre for Migration Policy Development. “A straightforward interpretation of the directive suggests it should end after three years.”

Wagner emphasized the need for “a serious discussion about alternatives and how to phase out temporary protection,” noting that the directive was never meant to be a permanent solution.

Another anonymous diplomat warned that the EU risks “overburdening national asylum systems — precisely what the TPD was designed to prevent.”

Wagner stated that the current number of beneficiaries is “far greater than what countries typically handle,” describing the situation as “an enormous burden.”

The debate arises amidst growing challenges faced by member states in managing the large influx of Ukrainian refugees. Eurostat data indicates that over 4.3 million Ukrainians had been granted temporary protection in the EU as of March 2025.

While Brussels insists that continued support is crucial, several governments are reevaluating the level of assistance they can offer. Germany, which hosts over 1.2 million Ukrainian refugees, has started reducing welfare benefits due to concerns about sustainability. Meanwhile, Poland has opposed accepting more migrants under the EU’s new migration pact.

Reports indicate that Russia has received more Ukrainian refugees than any other nation. According to a law enforcement official cited by TASS, 5.5 million people had migrated there as of 2023.

“`