EU countries consider extending temporary protection for Ukrainians after 2027 - mass media

The European Commission has started active discussions with the EU member states on the future status of Ukrainians after March 2027 . Several scenarios are being considered, including the extension of temporary protection, the introduction of a new special status or a full transition to the common rules of residence in the EU. This was reported by European Pravda with reference to its own sources in Brussels.

According to the sources, one of the most likely options is to extend temporary protection for another year, until March 2028, given that the war in Ukraine continues. At the same time, more radical solutions are also being discussed, including the complete cancellation of the current mechanism and the transfer of Ukrainians to standard migration procedures.

It is expected that by the end of May 2026, the European Commission will present a concrete proposal that will be submitted to the EU member states for official consideration. It is a question of developing a unified approach, which will make it possible to regulate the legal status of millions of Ukrainians living in the EU.

We will remind, the directive on temporary protection was introduced in March 2022 and gave Ukrainians access to housing, work, medicine and education without overloading the asylum system. Initially it was conceived as a short-term measure, but since then it has been repeatedly extended and is now in force until 4 March 2027.

In parallel, the EU has already discussed recommendations for the gradual withdrawal of Ukrainians from the temporary protection regime, making the upcoming decision one of the key decisions for the future of millions of people.