Poland Pushes EU to End Draft-Age Ukrainian Protections
Poland is pushing for EU rules to deny protection status to Ukrainian men of military age, marking a major shift in its approach to war refugees it has hosted since Russia's invasion.
Maciej Duszczyk, Poland’s deputy interior minister in Prime Minister Donald Tusk’s center-left government, confirmed Warsaw’s support for the restrictions ahead of a June 4 meeting of EU interior and justice ministers in Luxembourg, according to Brussels Signal. The gathering focused on extending legal protection for Ukrainian refugees currently sheltering from the war with Russia.
Current EU regulations grant Ukrainian war refugees the right to live, work and attend school throughout the bloc. However, these protection measures are temporary and require periodic review. The existing provisions are set to expire in March 2027.
While the European Commission favors extending current regulations for another year, several member states are backing restrictions that would exclude Ukrainians of military age and those who departed Ukraine without official authorization from their government.
Poland generally agrees with such a solution, Duszczyk told reporters before the Luxembourg meeting.
Ukraine’s Conscription Rules and Border Crossings
Following Russia’s February 2022 invasion, Kyiv prohibited most men aged 18 to 60 from leaving the country, with those 25 and older subject to military conscription. Some of these restrictions were relaxed last August, triggering a substantial increase in young men crossing into Poland.
Polish media outlets have extensively covered reports of Ukrainian men evading military service in their homeland. The coverage prompted the Polish government to offer assistance to Ukraine in identifying and repatriating draft evaders.
Poland Hosts Nearly One Million Ukrainian Refugees
Poland has welcomed over one million Ukrainian refugees since the invasion began, providing access to the nation’s labor market as well as its education, health and welfare systems. The country currently hosts 960,000 Ukrainians with temporary protection status, the second highest number in the EU. Only Germany, with 1.2 million registrations, exceeds Poland among the 4.3 million Ukrainian refugees residing across the bloc.
Last September, Poland enacted legislation restricting financial support for Ukrainians by making certain benefits contingent on employment. The measures aimed to prevent Ukrainians from claiming child benefits for children still residing in Ukraine. Additional healthcare restrictions introduced this March came in response to declining public support for Ukrainian assistance, consistently documented in opinion polling.
Public Opinion Shifts Despite Economic Contributions
The change in sentiment has occurred despite widespread recognition that Ukrainian workers contribute significantly to the Polish economy. Tensions have escalated due to the large numbers involved, reports of Ukrainian organized crime operations, and accusations that refugee status gives Ukrainians easier access to strained health services than Polish citizens receive. These concerns proved particularly damaging amid commonplace media coverage of hospital ward closures and lengthy waiting lists.
Public opinion has also been influenced by governmental disputes between the two countries over the past three years. Poland initially supported Ukraine comprehensively after the February 2022 war outbreak, providing massive military assistance including nearly 300 Soviet-era T-72 tanks and MIG fighter planes immediately deployed by Ukrainian forces trained on that equipment.
The country became a crucial hub for military and humanitarian aid to Ukraine while hosting millions of refugees in the war’s immediate aftermath. This cooperation led to expressions of Ukrainian gratitude, including the award of Ukraine’s highest state order to Polish President Andrzej Duda, reciprocated with Poland’s highest honor for Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky.
With information from Brussels Signal
