Implementation of a Council of Europe provision for granting temporary protection to Ukrainian men in Germany

The German Federal Ministry of the Interior is implementing new rules for granting temporary protection to Ukrainian citizens who are subject to military service. According to information from the newspaper "Deutsche Welle", cited by Ukrinform, Ukrainian men aged between 23 and 60 who are not exempt from military service will not be able to receive temporary protection in the country if they arrive after July 31, 2026.

Implementation of the provisions

The restriction will apply only to individuals who arrived in Germany on or after July 31, 2026. This date coincides with the entry into force of the relevant Council of Europe provision, according to which temporary protection is granted exclusively to individuals whose military service obligation in Ukraine has been fulfilled.

The Federal Ministry of the Interior emphasized that Ukrainian men will have to provide evidence that they left Ukraine in a legal manner or that they are officially exempt from military service. Individuals who reside in Germany without a legal basis may be deported.

Notes for those refugees who have already arrived

The new rules will not apply retroactively. Ukrainian men who have already arrived in Germany before July 31, 2026, and have already received temporary protection status will retain their current position. Their protection will be automatically extended until March 2028, in accordance with the Council of the EU's decision for all Ukrainian refugees in the country.