EU nations extend Ukrainians’ right to stay until March 2027

EU countries on Friday approved a one-year extension of the temporary protection offered to Ukrainian refugees fleeing Russia’s war, allowing them to stay in the bloc until March 2027.

Some 4.3 million Ukrainians are registered as refugees across the European Union, with Germany, Poland and the Czech Republic hosting the largest communities.

“While Russia continues to terrorise Ukrainian civilians with indiscriminate air strikes the EU continues to show its solidarity,” said Tomasz Siemoniak, the interior minister of Poland, which holds the European Union’s rotating presidency.

“We will continue to offer protection for millions of Ukrainian refugees for another year”.

The 27-nation bloc granted Ukrainians temporary protections in the weeks after Moscow’s full-scale invasion of its neighbour in February 2022. After several roll-overs, the measure was set to expire next March - but it will now be extended until March 4, 2027.

The move, proposed by the European Commission last week, was backed by the European Council representing member states during a meeting of interior ministers in Luxembourg on Friday with “unanimous support”, the council said.

Ministers also started debating preparations for an end of the system - which is expected to see some Ukrainians return to their country, while others could seek the right to stay on in the bloc.

“The Polish presidency also initiated discussion on a strategy to phase out temporary protection once a just peace is achieved,” said Siemoniak.

“In the near future, we will work towards common, EU-wide solutions in this area, including in the context of returns to Ukraine.”

People benefitting from temporary protection enjoy the same rights across the EU, including a residence permit, access to the labour market and housing, medical assistance, social welfare and access to education.

EU states welcomed millions of Ukrainians with open arms in the early stages of the conflict but there are signs of patience wearing thin in some countries - with peace efforts stuttering as the conflict drags into its fourth year.

Poland - a staunch supporter of Kyiv throughout the war and host to one million Ukrainian refugees - recently elected a president who wants to cut back their benefits.

And Germany - the largest single host with almost 1.2 million Ukrainian refugees - is also considering curbing benefits, as the national mood has hardened on immigration.

Last week the commission said it was putting in place “an exit strategy” stressing temporary protection was by definition temporary.

Meanwhile, Russia said on Friday it had conducted large-scale tests of new laser-based systems to defend against drones.

A government statement described the new technology as “promising” and said it had been tested against various types of drone in different weather conditions.

It said the anti-drone lasers would become part of a “universal air defence system” that President Vladimir Putin said this week Russia needed to build.

“The test results will be used to refine existing models and create systems capable of providing reliable protection against modern air attack weapons. Conducting tests allows us to move on to serial production and upscaling,” the statement said. An accompanying video showed charred debris from a destroyed drone.

Both sides have deployed drones on a huge scale in the Russia-Ukraine war, using them to spot and hit targets not only on the battlefield but way beyond the front lines.

Ukrainian drones have frequently struck sites deep inside Russia such as oil depots, refineries and airfields, highlighting the need for Moscow to boost its defences.

Earlier this month, Ukrainian drones smuggled close to air bases in trucks inflicted serious damage to Russia’s long-range bomber fleet.

Earlier, Ukraine said it has received 1,200 unidentified bodies from Russia as part of an agreement reached at peace talks in Istanbul.

“The bodies of 1,200 deceased persons were returned to Ukraine,” said Ukraine’s headquarters for the treatment of POWs.

“According to the Russian side, the bodies belong to Ukrainian citizens, including military personnel.”

Moscow said last week it would unilaterally hand to Ukraine the bodies of 6,000 killed soldiers in total, in what Kyiv said would be an “exchange.”

Agencies