BRUSSELS, June 13 – The European Union has taken a political decision to extend until March 4, 2027, temporary protection for Ukrainian refugees who were forced to leave their country because of the war waged by Russia against Ukraine.

“Today, the Council voiced its unanimous support for a proposal to extend the temporary protection for the more than 4 million Ukrainians fleeing from Russia’s war of aggression until 4 March 2027,” the EU Council reported on Friday.

Commenting on the decision, Tomasz Siemoniak, Minister of the Interior and Administration of Poland, which holds the EU Presidency, said: “While Russia continues to terrorise Ukrainian civilians with indiscriminate air strikes the EU continues to show its solidarity with the Ukrainian people. We will continue to offer protection for millions of Ukrainian refugees for another year.”

According to him, the Polish Presidency also initiated discussions on a strategy for the gradual abolition of temporary protection after a fair peace is achieved. “In the near future, we will work towards common, EU-wide solutions in this area, including in the context of returns to Ukraine,” Siemoniak added.

As it is known, Since March 2022 the EU has given safety and shelter to over 4 million refugees from Ukraine on the basis of the temporary protection directive. Temporary protection is due to run until 4 March 2026 and will now be extended until 4 March 2027.

Thus, the temporary protection system alleviates the pressure on national asylum systems because persons falling under this type of protection do not need to apply for asylum on an individual basis. “The extension until March 2027 is a signal to displaced people from Ukraine that is not necessary to apply for asylum,” the EU Council explained.

At the same time, the extension does not change the terms of the March 2022 decision as regards the categories of persons to whom the temporary protection applies or the rights they enjoy. (om/ez)