European Union extends temporary protection for Ukrainian citizens by one year

Moscow (ANTARA) - The European Union has approved the extension of the temporary protection policy for Ukrainian citizens for the coming year, according to the Ukrainian broadcasting station, hromadske, citing an EU official. The written procedure to extend the temporary protection was completed on Thursday afternoon local time, making the policy officially effective. According to reports, on 1 June, EU member states discussed the possibility of revising the temporary protection policy, specifically the option to limit it only to Ukrainian men of military age. This was intended as an effort to align protection needs with Ukraine’s overall capacity for self-defence. EU Migration Commissioner Magnus Brunner acknowledged that the request for changes to the protection rules originated from the Ukrainian Government. However, he denied that the new measures are discriminatory. Ukrainian men have been attempting to avoid military service by fleeing the country illegally, burning recruitment centres, and hiding to avoid appearing in public.