Hungary says it will keep granting protection to Ukrainian military-age men, defying new EU rules
Hungarian Prime Minister Péter Magyar announced that Hungary will continue to provide asylum or temporary protection to Ukrainian men of military age who flee to Hungary, primarily ethnic Hungarians from Transcarpathia (Zakarpattia), in defiance of new EU rules that restrict such protection for men with unresolved military-registration issues. Hungary had voted against the EU measure and, as of a 4 September European Commission briefing, had not formally notified Brussels in writing of its intent to deviate from the rules. The Commission said member states retain some discretion in applying the new framework, and is preparing operational guidelines for its practical implementation.
Key points
- Hungarian PM Péter Magyar said on 3 September his government will continue granting asylum/temporary protection to Ukrainian men of military age fleeing to Hungary, primarily ethnic Hungarians from Transcarpathia (Zakarpattia).
- Hungary voted against the EU measure limiting temporary protection for Ukrainian military-age men with military-registration problems.
- The new EU rules, in force since 5 August, condition temporary protection for newly arrived Ukrainians on compliance with military duties under Ukrainian law, verified via passport stamp or other documentation.
- The restriction does not apply to Ukrainians who already held temporary protection in an EU member state before the new rules took effect.
- EU member states agreed in late July to extend temporary protection for Ukrainians fleeing the war until 4 March 2028.
- European Commission spokesperson Markus Lammert said on 4 September that Hungary had not officially notified the Commission in writing of an intention to deviate; he added that member states have some discretion in applying the rules.
- EU Commissioner for Home Affairs and Migration Magnus Brunner said the request to exclude Ukrainian men of military age from the program came from Ukraine itself.
- Approximately 100,000 ethnic Hungarians live in Transcarpathia, which borders Hungary.
Why it matters
Hungary is the first EU government to publicly break with the new temporary-protection framework that links eligibility to compliance with Ukraine's military-registration rules, turning an internal Brussels policy choice into a bilateral clash and a test of the discretion the regulation leaves to member states. By framing its stance around ethnic Hungarians in Transcarpathia, Budapest has also made the dispute a minority-rights and Ukraine–Hungary issue. The Commission has underlined that deviation must be formally notified and is drafting operational guidelines, so Hungary's next steps will help determine how strictly the new rules are enforced across the bloc.
What happened
On 3 September 2026, Hungarian Prime Minister Péter Magyar announced that his government would continue to grant asylum or temporary protection to Ukrainian men of military age who reach Hungary, with priority for ethnic Hungarians from Transcarpathia (Zakarpattia), the western Ukrainian region bordering Hungary. The decision runs counter to EU rules agreed in late July and in force since 5 August that condition temporary protection for newly arrived Ukrainians on compliance with military duties under Ukrainian law, verifiable by passport stamp or other documentation. Hungary voted against the EU measure when it was adopted. At a 4 September briefing in Brussels, European Commission spokesperson Markus Lammert said the directive provides that temporary protection should in principle not be granted to newly arrived persons whom Ukrainian authorities have not allowed to leave because of their military obligations, but that member states retain some discretion in how they apply the rules. He added that Hungary had not officially notified the Commission in writing of any intention to deviate. Magyar said he had raised the issue with European Council President António Costa during Costa's visit to Budapest and with several other EU leaders, calling the EU decision 'undignified' and 'incomprehensible'. EU Commissioner for Home Affairs and Migration Magnus Brunner said the request to exclude Ukrainian men of military age from the program came from Ukraine itself. The Commission is preparing operational guidelines for member states; the publication date has not been confirmed. Approximately 100,000 ethnic Hungarians live in Transcarpathia.
How Ukrainian sources describe it
Ukrainian-language coverage frames the story as a Budapest-versus-Brussels dispute with Ukrainian refugees at its center. Outlets lead with Hungary's stated intention to protect Ukrainian men of military age, highlight that Hungary had not formally notified the European Commission of its deviation, and cite both Magyar's criticism of the EU and the Commission's response. Several headlines foreground 'continued protection' for Ukrainian men despite the EU restrictions, treating Magyar's stance as a relief for some Ukrainians while emphasizing that Hungary's policy prioritizes ethnic Hungarians from Transcarpathia.
Where reporting differs
Sources disagree on Magyar's exact wording: one source renders his description of the EU decision as 'indignificant', while the others record 'undignified'. Coverage also differs on the timing of Magyar's meeting with António Costa — several sources refer only to 'the previous day' or Costa's 'visit to Budapest', while others specify 2 September for the meeting and 3 September for Magyar's public announcement.
Background
In July, EU member states agreed to extend temporary protection for Ukrainians fleeing the war until 4 March 2028. The new rules, in force since 5 August, condition temporary protection for newly arrived Ukrainians on compliance with military duties under Ukrainian law, verifiable by passport stamp or other documentation; they do not affect Ukrainians who already held temporary protection before the rules took effect. Approximately 100,000 ethnic Hungarians live in Transcarpathia (Zakarpattia), which borders Hungary, and Hungary voted against the EU measure. EU Commissioner Magnus Brunner said the request to exclude Ukrainian men of military age from the program came from Ukraine itself. The European Commission is preparing operational guidelines on the practical application of the new rules; the publication date is unconfirmed. Switzerland extended its support measures for people fleeing the war in Ukraine until 4 March 2028, but with restrictions. In the Czech Republic, more Ukrainian men than women were granted temporary protection for the first time last year. In mid-August, media citing the Hungarian office of the UN Refugee Agency reported that Hungary had not changed its temporary protection procedures and that all previously eligible persons, including men of military age, retained eligibility. On 20 August, Commission spokesperson Lammert said the new EU protection rules apply to women as well.