BRUSSELS, 5 March 2024 – Nearly 600 children have died in the war in Ukraine, while those seeking safety in the European Union only have one year left on their temporary protection status, Save the Children said today.

In an unprecedented move, on 4 March 2022, the European Council activated a Temporary Protection Directive (TPD), granting children and families from Ukraine entry to  the EU with access rights and services on arrival until 5 March 2025. With no end to the war in Ukraine in sight, and with the reality of safe and sustainable return impossible for many, Save the Children is calling for the long-term protection of children and their families beyond 2025.

Willy Bergogné, Save the Children’s Europe Director and EU Representative, said:

“The EU’s temporary protection has been a lifeline for children and their families seeking refuge from the war in Ukraine. Over the past two years, 592 children have been reported killed, and thousands more injured and displaced. 

“With the conflict showing no signs of abating, it is crucial that the EU and European governments provide long-term protection for children from Ukraine and their families. Sending children who’ve escaped the horrors of war back to Ukraine, exposing them once again to the unimaginable risks and adversities they sought refuge from, is unthinkable.

“Governments and the EU must therefore think in the long-term, as this will also allow families to do so and give them a sense of certainty. This would safeguard the well-being of vulnerable children and provide the stability necessary for families to rebuild their lives in the face of an uncertain future for their country."