---
title: "Poland Against the 'Special Regime': Warsaw Demands Review of Status for Ukrainian Men in the EU"
description: "Poland is demanding a review of temporary protection rules in the EU, advocating for the exclusion of men of conscription age from the 'special regime'. Brussels is discussing scenarios for transitioning to national residence permits and changing rules for new applicants as early as after 2027. 🇪🇺🇺🇦"
date: 2026-06-02T12:40:00.000Z
lang: en
url: https://xab.info/en/posts/poland-against-special-regime-warsaw-demands-review-of-status-for-ukrainian-men-in-the-eu
tags: []
publisher: "XAB.info"
---

# Poland Against the 'Special Regime': Warsaw Demands Review of Status for Ukrainian Men in the EU

![Ukrainian refugees with suitcases and children near a bus in Poland amid debate over special regime cancellation](https://xab.info/media/2026/06/02/polsha-za-izmenenie-pravil-vremennoy-zashchity-dlya-ukrainskih-muzhchin/polsha-za-izmenenie-pravil-vremennoy-zashchity-dlya-ukrainskih-muzhchin-1.webp)

A discussion is gaining momentum within the European Union regarding a fundamental review of the temporary protection system for Ukrainian citizens. At the center of attention is the fate of Ukrainian men of conscription age. Warsaw, being one of the main transit hubs for refugees, openly advocates for changing the current rules, insisting on excluding a certain group of men from the automatic protection regime.

### Warsaw's Position: Rejection of the 'Special Regime'

According to information obtained by the publication RMF24, Polish authorities believe that the current system, which automatically grants protection status to men of conscription age, creates an unfair precedent. In Warsaw's view, this approach forms a 'special regime' that places Ukrainians in a privileged position compared to other migration groups.

Poland proposes excluding from the temporary protection system those men who do not have legal grounds for crossing the Ukrainian border. However, the Polish side draws a clear line in its demands: Warsaw categorically rejects the idea of dividing Ukrainians based on regional affiliation. Polish authorities argue that the entire territory of Ukraine remains under threat of missile attacks, and therefore it would be unfair to deprive residents of 'conditionally safe' regions of protection.

### Future Scenarios: From 2027 to 2028

The question of transforming the protection system has already been placed on the agenda of the EU interior ministers. Experts and officials are considering several scenarios for the development of events that could come into force between 2027 and 2028.

The key vector is a gradual move away from the emergency temporary protection mechanism in favor of standard migration procedures. This implies transferring refugees to national types of residence permits. Among the discussed measures is also the possibility of extending the current mechanism until 2028, but with significant adjustments.

It is important to note that, according to internal documents of the EU Council, any potential changes will be retrospective only for new applications. Ukrainians who have already obtained temporary protection status are not at risk of losing it. However, for new applicants, in particular men of conscription age, the rules may become stricter.

### Polish Experience and Brussels' Reaction

Poland has already begun implementing its own adaptation strategy. The country has introduced a CUKR card system, which allows Ukrainian men and other categories of refugees to transition from temporary status to a standard three-year residence permit. This mechanism is considered a model for the gradual transition from emergency measures to long-term solutions.

EU Special Representative for Ukraine Ilva Johansson positively assesses such initiatives, emphasizing the need to take into account vulnerable categories of the population. At the same time, she focuses on the fact that regulating the status of men of conscription age requires a separate approach, but must in no case imply scenarios of forced return.

Since 2022, the temporary protection regime has allowed more than 4 million Ukrainians to legally reside and work in EU countries, bypassing complex asylum procedures. Now that the war has dragged on, the EU is seeking a balance between humanitarian support and long-term migration policy, also considering programs for the voluntary return of refugees after the end of hostilities.