Hungary to defy new EU rules and protect Ukrainian men of conscription age

Hungary says it will continue offering protection to Ukrainian men of conscription age, even as new European Union rules restrict their access to that status.

Prime Minister Peter Magyar said Budapest would preserve the right to grant protection to men fleeing Ukraine. He said many of them were ethnic Hungarians from Zakarpattia, the western Ukrainian region bordering Hungary, where about 100,000 ethnic Hungarians live.

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Several weeks ago, the European Union decided that men of conscription age fleeing the war could not be granted refugee status. Despite this, the government decided to preserve Hungary’s right to grant such status.

“Several weeks ago, the European Union decided that men of conscription age fleeing the war could not be granted refugee status. Despite this, the government decided to preserve Hungary’s right to grant such status,” Magyar said.

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It is wrong to prevent people from leaving a country at war.

Magyar said he raised the issue in Budapest on Wednesday during talks with European Council President António Costa. “It is wrong to prevent people from leaving a country at war,” he said. “Hungary will act differently and provide help to those who need it.”

EU member states agreed in July to extend temporary protection for Ukrainians until March 4, 2028. Under rules that took effect on Aug. 5, temporary protection is no longer granted to new applicants who have failed to meet military service obligations under Ukrainian law. The restriction does not apply to Ukrainians who already held temporary protection in an EU member state before the rules took effect.

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Hungary will act differently and provide help to those who need it.