EU Council to Discuss Temporary Protection for Ukrainians on June 4, Decision Later

On June 4, the EU Council for Home Affairs will discuss the possible extension of temporary protection for Ukrainians in the EU and other options for their legal stay. No decision will be made on this day. The discussion aims to shape the political direction for future actions.

Following the discussion, the European Commission will present a proposal for extending temporary protection, which will form the basis for a decision. Currently, the commission has not submitted proposals; an analytical note has been prepared in the EU Council and is being considered at ambassadorial level. It includes all possible scenarios for the status of Ukrainians in the EU, proposed by member states, including narrowing the scope of temporary protection geographically or by personal characteristics.

Among the proposals is the possibility of limiting temporary protection rights for conscription-age men arriving in the EU after a decision is made. This is currently only a topic for discussion. Also, the extension of temporary protection in the form of a «residual status» or «safety net» only for vulnerable groups or those not eligible for other national statuses will be discussed.

As of March 2026, 4.33 million Ukrainians had temporary protection in the EU, with the largest numbers in Germany (1.27 million), Poland (961,405), and Czechia (379,820). Individual governments, such as Denmark and Norway, are already considering tightening rules, including restrictions for conscription-age men and new arrivals from certain regions.