The EU will continue temporary protection of Ukrainian refugees after 2025, as needed

The European Union is ready to extend the temporary protection of Ukrainian refugees after March 2025, when the Directive expires, if necessary.

This was reported by the state secretary for asylum and migration in the EU of Belgium, Nicole De Moor, reports Ukrinform.

According to her, the extension of protection is one of the possibilities, since it is not known what will happen after March 2025. The EU will take into account different development scenarios on the ground, provide protection as long as it is needed.

European ministers reaffirmed their solidarity with Ukraine and agreed that legislation in this area should be harmonized, as having 27 different legal approaches to Ukrainian refugees would be counterproductive.

The European Commission and member states will continue these discussions with the involvement of the Ukrainian authorities in order to reach a joint decision "in the near future." The European Commission will not present proposals until they are agreed upon by Ukraine and the EU states.

The temporary protection of Ukrainians in the EU allowed Ukrainian citizens to live legally in EU member states that joined the mechanism, to gain access to the labor market, education, health care system, social security and housing. As of November 2023, 4.2 million Ukrainians have benefited from the directive on temporary protection.

• On the eve of the informal meeting of EU ministers, Politico, citing two diplomats, wrote that Ukraine is allegedly asking the European Union to facilitate the return of its citizens home. The Ukrainian government denied this: "Ukrainians should still be able to get under temporary protection under any conditions and even in the event of an end to the war," said Deputy Prime Minister Olga Stefanyshyna.