Almost five years on, Ukrainian refugees are waiting to know what comes next

Inna fled Kharkiv, which was heavily bombed, with her three children in March 2022. Since then, they have gradually built a new life in Belgium. Inna works here, her two eldest sons live independently and have their own business. Her youngest goes to school, speaks fluent French and is feeling increasingly at home. He remembers very little of Kharkiv now.

Inna is proud of what her children have already achieved. She wants them to be able to continue growing here. Above all, the family needs stability to make that possible.

Olga, who comes from a village near Kyiv, recognises that uncertainty.

Andrii is 22 and comes from Chernihiv. Before the invasion, he was studying in Kyiv. When he fled to Belgium with his mother in 2022, he completed his bachelor’s degree online. He is now finishing his studies at a university in Brussels. His mother has returned to Ukraine. He is building his own life here, surrounded by a close circle of friends.

After being held captive in Russia, Nikita came to Belgium in 2023 for medical treatment. This allowed him to reunite with his family. His wife, Nadiia, had fled with their eldest child soon after the Russian invasion. Earlier this year, they had their second child in Belgium. Now, they are working towards a future as a family. Nikita is learning French and has retrained for a different career. He and Nadiia are doing their utmost to give their children a good start in life. Finding a steady job is one of their biggest concerns.

In March 2022, the European Union activated the Temporary Protection Directive for the first time. This gave people fleeing from Ukraine rapid access to residence rights, work, education, medical care and social support.

Since then, the arrangement has been extended several times. In July 2026, just a few months before the deadline, the EU decided to extend protection once again, until 4 March 2028.

This gives people more time, but it doesn’t change their current situation. Temporary protection was intended as an emergency measure, not as an arrangement under which people would have to live for years without knowing what comes next.

Since August 2026, new applications are also subject to additional rules concerning military obligations. These do not apply to people who already have protection and have maintained it continuously in the same EU country. This is another reminder of how quickly the conditions can change.

As early as 2025, the EU had called on Member States to prepare alternatives to temporary protection. Without a clear plan, people affected risk being left without any prospects at the last minute.

Belgium has no specific transition arrangement. This means people have to rely on existing procedures, for example through work, study or family reunification. These options are not feasible for everyone. Procedures can take a long time and can affect people’s rights and the support they receive.

There is little clarity when it comes to asylum too. In practice, Belgium does not process the asylum applications of Ukrainians who have temporary protection. In October 2026, the Court of Justice of the European Union ruled that this cannot automatically be the case. The ruling concerned the Netherlands, but it is also relevant to Belgium.

People who have lived legally and continuously in Belgium for five years may, under certain conditions, apply for long-term resident status. However, people with temporary protection are excluded from this European scheme for as long as they hold that status. Those years of residence therefore do not automatically give them the right to permanent residence.

Inna, Olga, Andrii, Nadiia and Nikita demonstrate the strength it takes to rebuild a life. Their hopes for the future differ. Some want to stay in Belgium, while others hope to return to Ukraine as soon as it is safe to do so. Others are still unsure. After nearly five years, temporary protection is no longer enough to offer a clear path forward.

• Clear and accessible pathways to long-term residence.
• Individual assessment and legal certainty. Not everyone wants to stay, and not everyone can or wishes to return. This choice must be voluntary and based on personal circumstances, as well as a realistic assessment of safety in the country of origin.
• Continuity of rights. Switching to another residence status must not leave people without an income, access to employment or the social protection they need.
• A coordinated European approach. Common principles, clear information and coherent procedures should prevent people from having prospects in one country but very few in another.