The European Commission has not yet made a decision on the extension of temporary protection for Ukrainians beyond March 2026. At the same time, it is considering possible alternative mechanisms that would allow Ukrainians to remain in the EU.
This was announced by European Commission spokesperson Marcus Lammert during a briefing on 7 April in Brussels, European Pravda reports.
Lammert noted that the current decision to extend temporary protection until 6 March 2026 provided predictability for both Ukrainian citizens and EU member states. In the future, he said, further steps will be agreed upon together with the Ukrainian side and the EU member states.
The European Commission is considering various options: extension or termination of temporary protection, as well as transition to other legal statuses, including employment, study or family circumstances. Support for Ukrainians who decide to return home is also being discussed.
The spokesperson stressed that the decision should be common to the whole EU to ensure stability and even distribution of the burden on the systems of member states.
He reminded that since the activation of the Temporary Protection Directive, more than 4.5 million Ukrainians have been able to find refuge in the European Union.