EU Extends Ukrainian Refugee Protection Until 2026

The European Union has extended temporary protection for Ukrainian refugees until March 4, 2026. This decision comes amidst ongoing Russian bombings, highlighted by Belgium's Secretary of State for Refugees and Migration, Nicole de Moor, who leads the negotiations for this extension.

Ukrainians fleeing the full-scale Russian invasion in 2022 were granted immediate protection through temporary admission regimes established by several EU countries. Previously, this protection was set to last until March 2025. The extension aims to streamline the process, avoiding lengthy national asylum procedures for the large numbers of displaced individuals.