EU Commission proposes excluding fighting-age men from Ukraine refugee scheme

The limitation would not apply to men who received temporary protection before the new rules enter into force.

In its announcement, the Commission said the  plan aimed to “reconcile the protection needs with Ukraine’s overall ability to defend itself against Russia’s illegal war of aggression.”

The proposal comes after a ministerial discussion earlier this month showed “strong support” for plans to exclude fighting-age men, Swedish Migration Minister Johan Forssell told POLITICO.

The Council of Europe’s Commissioner for Human Rights Michael O’Flaherty has warned against a “wholesale rejection” of conscription-age men.

“What I want to make sure is that those who legitimately can be exempted from conscription have a chance to make their case, like a conscientious objector. And so what we need is a one-by-one consideration of every man’s case,” he told POLITICO.

Ukraine “has a legitimate expectation and a legitimate right to impose conscription, but it’s got to do so with respect to the law rule book,” said O’Flaherty.