A total of 4.40 million non-EU citizens who fled Ukraine had temporary protection status in the EU in February 2026.
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This represents a 0.5% increase in just one month, according to the latest Eurostat data.
The EU countries hosting the highest number of beneficiaries of temporary protection from Ukraine were Germany, Poland, and Czechia.
However, the number of people under temporary protection increased in 24 countries, with the three largest absolute increases observed in Germany, Czechia and Spain.
In contrast, the three EU countries that registered decreases were Estonia, France and Luxembourg.
Ukrainian citizens represented over 98.4% of the beneficiaries of temporary protection in the EU at the end of January 2026.
Among them, adult women accounted for 43.5%, adult men just over a quarter, and minors nearly a third, with boys making up 16% while girls were 14.2%.
Between January and February 2026, adult women and children who were granted temporary protection increased 1.4 percentage points and 0.5 percentage points, respectively.
The rest of non-EU citizens under temporary protection are from Russia (0.3%), Nigeria (0.1%) and Azerbaijan (0.1%).
The EU countries offering temporary protection must grant suitable access to accommodation or housing, social welfare or means of subsistence if necessary, medical care, and education for persons under 18 years, according to the European Commission.
Homesickness brings reconsideration
Despite the dangers, more than 1.6 million people have returned to frontline areas in Ukraine, such as the regions of Kharkiv, Donetsk, Kherson, and Sumy.
For many, the financial strain of living in their host countries and the longing for home outweigh the risks of moving back there, according to Save the Children research.
Three-quarters of 172 parents and caregivers interviewed for the study said that missing their home and community, along with feeling isolated in places they fled to, contributed to their decision to return home to dangerous front-line areas where active fighting is ongoing.
Almost one in two parents and caregivers said that they had returned because their children were feeling unhappy, stressed, or lonely in their host communities.
In addition, around 55% cited the high cost of housing or difficulties in finding work in host communities.
“Going back to a war zone is never a choice anyone makes lightly,” Save the Children’s Country Director in Ukraine, Sonia Khush, said. “While they may find relative safety in the places they were forced to flee to, many find that they cannot survive financially, far away from their usual income opportunities and support networks, while at the same time deeply missing the communities and connections they have left behind.”
