European Commission President proposed to limit entry to the EU for Ukrainians of draft age

Berlin, rally in support of Ukraine, March 2025, photo: Omer Messinger/Getty Images

European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen has proposed to limit the simplified entry regime for Ukrainian refugees in European Union countries. This is stated in her letter to the leaders of EU countries ahead of the upcoming EU summit, writes Moscow Times, citing Der Spiegel.

According to the document, the European Commission intends to extend the temporary protection mechanism for Ukrainian citizens who have fled the war, but to narrow the circle of persons to whom this regime will apply.

"The European Commission proposes to extend temporary protection for people fleeing Russia's aggression against Ukraine," the letter states.

At the same time, as von der Leyen emphasizes, the mechanism's operation should be limited in such a way as not to undermine Ukraine's ability to self-defense. As Der Spiegel writes, this could mean tightening the rules for entry and granting temporary protection for men of draft age. Specific parameters of the initiative are not yet disclosed.

If the European Commission's proposal is approved by member states, the European Union will link its migration policy towards Ukrainians with Ukraine's needs for mobilization resources.

This topic was already discussed by the interior ministers of EU countries in early June. At that time, Germany, Sweden, and Austria advocated for limiting the admission of Ukrainian citizens liable for military service.

According to DPA, a variant providing for the abolition of temporary protection for men aged 23 to 60 received broad support.

German Chancellor Friedrich Merz last year already called on Kyiv to limit the departure of men of conscription age abroad.

"I asked him to ensure that these young men remain in the country because Ukraine needs them, not Germany," Merz said after a meeting with Volodymyr Zelenskyy.

According to the European Commission, more than 4.3 million Ukrainian citizens have already received temporary protection status since the start of the war. This regime expires on March 4, 2027.

European Commissioner for Migration Magnus Brunner announced that Brussels will soon present a proposal to extend the program.

Amidst the prolonged war, Germany, Ireland, Poland, the Czech Republic, and other countries have begun to cut social benefits and assistance programs for Ukrainians.

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