The European Commission has proposed to extend temporary protection for Ukrainian refugees in the EU until 4 March 2027. The initiative still needs to be approved by the EU Council, but its support already demonstrates Europe’s strategic commitment to long-term support for Ukrainian citizens fleeing the war.
Read also: France plans to change the status of Ukrainian refugees
The European Commission has also announced the creation of a special commissioner for Ukrainians, who will coordinate efforts to integrate Ukrainian citizens in the Member States or facilitate their voluntary return to their homeland. The proposal provides legal certainty and access to basic services for millions of Ukrainians in Europe.
According to Ukraine’s Unity Minister Oleksiy Chernyshov, the decision means “stability, security and access to basic services” for Ukrainian citizens in the EU. The ministry estimates that about 5 million Ukrainians are currently living abroad, most of them in Germany, Poland and the Czech Republic.
Read also: Fewer Ukrainian refugees plan to return home
The European Commission recommends that Ukrainians who have already integrated into European countries, whether through education, employment or language skills, should be given the opportunity to switch to national long-term residence programmes.
According to the Centre for Economic Strategy, in 2024 alone, another 300,000 people left Ukraine, and the percentage of those willing to return is decreasing every year. At the same time, the Ministry of Unity hopes that after the war, about 70% of the citizens who left will return to Ukraine.
Read also: Finland to reduce the number of refugee centres
