Europe to prolong temporary protection for Ukrainians until March 2027
Europe to prolong temporary protection for Ukrainians until March 2027 (Illustrative photo: Getty Images)
The Council of the European Union plans to reach a political agreement on extending the temporary protection for Ukrainian citizens until March 2027 during its June 13 meeting, according to the published agenda of the EU Justice and Home Affairs Council.
The EU Council meeting is reportedly aimed at reaching a political agreement on extending temporary protection status for Ukrainians until March 2027. A final decision is expected in the coming weeks.
Members of the European Council will also discuss possible options for transitioning from temporary protection status to another form of legal stay.
Temporary protection for Ukrainians in the EU
The European Commission recently proposed extending the legal framework known as the Temporary Protection Directive for Ukrainian refugees until March 4, 2027.
This directive first came into force in March 2022. At that time, it allowed displaced Ukrainians to remain in EU member states without undergoing the formal asylum procedure.
The initiative was previously discussed by Ukraine's Ambassador to the EU, Vsevolod Chentsov.
According to European Commission data, as of January 2025, around 4.3 million people in the EU were receiving temporary protection.
However, projections indicated that the number would decline to 4.1 million by the end of 2025, and further to 3.8 million by the end of 2026.
