Council of Europe urges to keep protection for Ukrainians
File photo: The Council of Europe stated that protection for Ukrainians must continue (Getty Images)
European countries should not prematurely scale back support measures and temporary protection mechanisms for millions of Ukrainian refugees, says Michael O'Flaherty, Commissioner for Human Rights of the Council of Europe.
The Commissioner expresses serious concern about ongoing discussions in Europe about cuts to social assistance and restrictions on access to temporary protection status for certain categories of citizens, particularly men of draft age.
According to him, removing people from collective protection without a reliable social safety net will plunge millions of Ukrainians into legal uncertainty and poverty, as well as force them to return to dangerous conditions against their will.
O’Flaherty emphasizes that the number of civilian casualties in 2025–2026 reached its highest level and that Russian missile and drone attacks continue to strike targets throughout Ukraine, including in the western regions.
In this regard, the Commissioner provides the following key recommendations to participating countries:
- Ensure continuity of protection: extend existing statuses or provide alternative legal residence options.
- Avoid artificial pressure: refrain from cutting benefits and creating administrative barriers that force people to leave their host country.
- Guarantee protection without discrimination: do not restrict rights based on gender, employment status, or length of stay, and take into account the needs of vulnerable groups.
- Maintain access to asylum systems: when reviewing collective programs, ensure refugees have the opportunity to pursue individual asylum procedures.
Protection of Ukrainians in Europe
In March 2022, the European Union implemented the Temporary Protection Directive to support Ukrainian refugees. Initially, the status was granted for one year, but it was subsequently extended several times due to the hostilities.
Most recently, the term of collective protection was officially extended until March 2027.
The European Commission is already preparing a new official proposal to regulate the status of Ukrainian refugees starting in March 2027, based on which the Council of the EU will make a final decision.
Officials in Brussels assure that support remains unwavering and that future changes will be aimed exclusively at helping Ukraine and its citizens.
For more details, see the RBC-Ukraine article.
