The Council of Europe Commissioner for Human Rights, Michael O'Flaherty, has released observations warning against the premature winding down of protection and assistance for the millions of Ukrainians displaced across Europe by Russia's ongoing war of aggression.
The observations build on the Commissioner's earlier statement and come amid a debate over diminishing support for displaced Ukrainians. This includes the potential phasing out or restriction of the EU's temporary protection arrangements, alongside individual member states' rollbacks. As of March 2026, more than 4.3 million people displaced from Ukraine were under temporary protection in the EU alone, with hundreds of thousands more residing in non-EU Council of Europe member states.
Renewed solidarity, not returns, needed
"To avoid a protection gap for millions of displaced Ukrainians across the continent, Europe's welcome in 2022 must be matched today by a renewed commitment. Now is the time for more solidarity, not less," said Commissioner O'Flaherty.
The Commissioner expresses concern about the mounting pressure to prematurely end temporary protection arrangements and restrict access for specific groups, such as men of conscription age and individuals from regions deemed safe. Other worrying trends across Europe include reductions in social support, policies promoting premature returns, and rising anti-Ukrainian sentiment in host countries.
"The current realities on the ground in Ukraine do not meet the conditions for a safe and dignified return. Transitioning individuals out of collective temporary protection without a robust safety net risks driving millions into legal limbo, poverty, and unsafe unvoluntary returns," added Commissioner O'Flaherty.
Russian assaults on civilians continuing apace
Blanket restrictions on temporary protection for specific categories of people raise human-rights concerns. The Commissioner emphasised that no part of Ukraine can currently be considered safe; civilian casualties in 2025 and in recent months have reached their highest levels since 2022. Missile and drone attacks continue to strike civilian targets across the country, including western regions far from the front line. Furthermore, issues related to military service may trigger protection claims, and member states must ensure access to individualised assessments.
What should European states do to continue support?
The Commissioner's observations set out guidance for the next phase of Europe's response to displacement from Ukraine, issuing a call to action, rooted in member states' human-rights obligations.
Key recommendations to Council of Europe member states include:
Ensure continuity of protection for as long as necessary until conditions in Ukraine permit a safe return.
Avoid unsafe or premature returns by refraining from policies, such as cuts to social assistance, that leave displaced persons with no real choice but to leave host countries.
Guarantee protection without discrimination based on employment status, duration of stay or other factors and explicitly address the needs of vulnerable groups.
Maintain access to national asylum systems if restrictions are introduced to collective-protection schemes.
Plan for future returns by ensuring all returns are voluntary, safe, dignified and well-informed. States should cooperate to plan for long-term reconstruction, property compensation or restitution, and social cohesion for when safe and durable returns become viable.
The Commissioner draws on his 2025 memorandum on human-rights elements for peace in Ukraine, consultations with EU stakeholders, the UNHCR, Ukrainian authorities, the Ukrainian Parliament Commissioner for Human Rights, the diaspora and civil society, alongside testimony from displaced Ukrainians in Karlsruhe (Germany), Chișinău (Moldova) and Strasbourg (France)
How is the Council of Europe supporting Ukraine?
