Von der Leyen allegedly calls on EU countries to review terms for accepting Ukrainian refugees

European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen has sent a letter to EU leaders ahead of a European Council meeting, reportedly calling on governments to introduce restrictions on accepting Ukrainian refugees.

Source: News outlets Der Spiegel, dpa and AFP familiar with the letter, as reported by European Pravda

Details: The letter allegedly states that the European Commission will propose extending the duration of temporary protection for Ukrainians. However, the scope of this protection should be limited in a way that does not undermine Ukraine's capacity for self-defence.

Although the letter does not specify concrete measures, this can be interpreted as a hint at restricting the admission of men of conscription age. Western media have repeatedly reported on this proposal.

Background:

• According to Euractiv, the EU is discussing the possibility of excluding Ukrainian men of conscription age from the expanded temporary protection scheme introduced in response to Russia's full-scale invasion. Any such restriction would apply to new applicants seeking temporary protection.
• The European Union plans to make a decision on the status of Ukrainian refugees in July 2026; if this is not achieved, then in September.
• The Temporary Protection Directive, which came into force in March 2022, gave millions of Ukrainians access to a range of rights in the EU without overburdening the asylum system. It was initially conceived as a short-term emergency measure, but its duration has been extended several times. The directive currently runs until 4 March 2027.

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