Czech Interior Minister: No temporary protection for Ukrainians after war ends

No Ukrainians will be granted temporary protection in Czechia once a ceasefire is declared or the war in Ukraine ends, Interior Minister Vít Rakušan told news site Novinky.cz on Sunday.

Even those with family in the country would not receive automatic protection and would have to apply for residency like other foreign nationals.

"Regardless of how the war ends, no one will be able to come here under temporary protection afterward," Rakušan said. "Even in cases of family reunification, it would have to follow Czechia’s existing immigration policies."

Temporary protection for current Ukrainian refugees would expire the day after the war ends or a ceasefire is declared. However, they would be allowed to stay in the country for a limited time and apply for temporary residence. Those from Russian-occupied territories could seek political asylum, Novinky.cz reported.

Czechia’s temporary protection for Ukrainian refugees is valid through March, with the EU approving an extension until March 2025. The status grants access to public health insurance, education and the labor market.

Russia launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine on Feb. 24, 2022. As of this month, 396,700 Ukrainian refugees hold temporary protection in Czechia, according to the Interior Ministry, including 96,700 children and 17,600 people over 65. Among working-age adults, there are 171,000 women and 111,400 men.

U.S. President Donald Trump aims for a ceasefire in Ukraine by Easter, though officials call this timeline unrealistic, with a year-end agreement more likely. His outreach to Putin and Zelensky has raised concerns in Europe, where leaders fear exclusion from U.S.-led negotiations. Poland criticized Trump’s call with Putin, and France hosted an emergency summit on Feb. 17 to address growing tensions over the U.S. approach to the conflict.