The European Union has unveiled a new roadmap for managing the future of Ukrainian refugees, including the option for them to stay in the EU after the war is over. The plan includes an extension of the Temporary Protection Directive until 4 March 2027, announced on Wednesday, June 4th.
“Since 2022, we have provided protection for those fleeing Russia’s war of aggression against Ukraine, and we continue to do so,” said European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen.
The Temporary Protection Directive grants those fleeing immediate access to residence permits, jobs, healthcare, education, and social welfare by bypassing the traditional asylum system. But the new plan goes further. It introduces a “coordinated transition out of temporary protection”—preparing the bloc for a day when refugees may have to choose between rebuilding their lives in Ukraine or continuing them within the EU.
Ukrainian Deputy Prime Minister Oleksiy Chernysho emphasized that Ukraine will need human capital to recover and rebuild its economy, with accession to the EU being set as a goal. “Only a strong economy can pave the way to the future success of Ukraine and successful integration in the European Union. That’s why it’s so important to us” Chernysho said.
