Hungary will grant asylum to Ukrainian men, Prime Minister Péter Magyar said

The government of Hungary does not support the European Commission’s proposal to restrict temporary protection for newly arrived Ukrainian men who do not have permission from the Ukrainian authorities to leave due to military obligations.

This was 30 June 2026 during debates in parliament, stated the Prime Minister of Hungary, Péter Madyar.

The issue was raised by the leader of the Mi Hazánk party, László Toroczkai. He said possible changes could affect ethnic Hungarians from Zakarpattia, and called on the government to oppose the European Commission’s initiative.

Péter Madyar replied that Budapest’s position had already been voiced at the meeting of the EU Justice and Home Affairs Council in Luxembourg. According to him, Interior Minister Gábor Posfai reported that Hungary and roughly 6–7 other states did not support the proposal.

At the same time, it is not about stripping protection from all Ukrainian men who are already in EU countries. The proposal concerns future applicants who will arrive in the EU without permission from the Ukrainian authorities to depart due to military obligations.

The current temporary protection mechanism is in effect until 4 March 2027. On 26 June 2026 the European Commission proposed extending it to 4 March 2028, but with a new exception for some newly arrived Ukrainian citizens.

The final decision still has to be adopted by the Council of the European Union. Therefore, the new restrictions have not come into effect yet.

Péter Madyar emphasized that even if pan‑European rules are approved, Hungary will be able to apply its own asylum procedure to people arriving in the country to avoid mobilization.

The Prime Minister of Hungary, Péter Madyar, separately assured support for ethnic Hungarians living abroad.

“Every Hungarian compatriot can count on the “Tisa” government both here and abroad”, – said Péter Madyar.

It is important that temporary protection and asylum are different legal mechanisms. Temporary protection is granted to Ukrainians through a simplified pan‑European procedure, while states examine asylum applications individually in accordance with national legislation.

Previously we wrote:

• The EU may limit temporary protection for draft‑age Ukrainian men
• Sybiha: 8 million Ukrainians abroad; return is a security challenge, payments and travel expenses are being prepared
• Nearly one million draft‑age men from Ukraine are in the EU
• Without status and without protection: what the far‑right want to do to Ukrainians in Germany
• Poland repeals a separate law on assistance to Ukrainian refugees