Ukrainians seeking asylum in EU surge by nearly half
For the first time, men outnumber women among asylum seekers in the EU (photo: Getty Images)
In September 2025, the European Union approved the largest number of applications for temporary protection for Ukrainians in the past two years. In particular, 79,205 applications were approved, which is 49% higher than the figure for August, according to Die Zeit.
The publication reports that, according to Eurostat data, the sharp increase in applications for temporary protection is linked to the Ukrainian government's decision to permit men aged 18 to 22 to leave the country.
As a result, the demographic composition of Ukrainian refugees has changed significantly:
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In September, the share of adult men among refugees rose to 47%;
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For the first time, men outnumbered women (their share was 31%);
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The share of minors amounted to 22%.
As of the end of September, 4.3 million Ukrainians with temporary protection status were residing in European Union countries. This status is granted to citizens who cannot immediately return to their country, in accordance with the EU Temporary Protection Directive, which was first applied after Russia's full-scale invasion.
The EU Council extended the special protection status for Ukrainians until March 4, 2027. The largest number of Ukrainian citizens seeking protection is in Germany — 1.2 million (28% of the total). A slightly smaller number are in Poland — 1 million people (23.5%).
The Irish government has reduced the period of stay for newly arrived Ukrainians in state-provided accommodation from 90 to 30 days. This decision was made to ensure housing for everyone arriving in the country seeking protection.
