How Many Ukrainian Children in the EU Have Temporary Protection: Current Data

There are over 1.3 million Ukrainian children with temporary protection in EU countries. Find out which countries have the highest numbers, how the statistics are changing, and what rights they have in Europe

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Hundreds of thousands of Ukrainian children who fled the full-scale war remain in European Union countries. As of February 2026, there are over 1.3 million Ukrainians under the age of 18 with temporary protection across the 27 EU member states. This is reported by slovoidilo.ua, citing Eurostat data.

What rights do Ukrainian children with temporary protection have?

Ukrainian children in the EU enjoy a special legal status. They have the right to:

● legally reside in EU countries;

● receive basic social services;

● travel with adults within the EU for up to 90 days within a 180-day period;

● return to Ukraine without losing their status.

Temporary protection for Ukrainians in the EU has been extended until at least March 2027.

Read also: Can you obtain renewed temporary protection in the EU? Current rules for Ukrainians in 2026.

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How many Ukrainian children are in the EU?

According to official statistics, approximately 1,303,800 Ukrainian children reside in EU countries. This is 2.6% fewer than a year earlier, indicating gradual changes in migration patterns.

Children, like adult Ukrainians, receive temporary protection status, which allows them to legally reside in EU countries, enjoy basic social rights, and travel within the European Union.

Read also: The number of Ukrainians under temporary protection in the EU is growing — where is the largest increase?

Countries with the largest number of Ukrainian children

The largest number of Ukrainian children with temporary protection live in neighboring and geographically close countries. Poland remains the leader—over 444,400 children, although this figure decreased by 1.5% compared to the previous year. In second place is Germany, where 324,500 children from Ukraine are staying. The Czech Republic ranks third—87,800 children—though it has seen the largest decline among the leaders—a 9.1% decrease over the year.

The top five also includes:

● Spain—74,600 children;

● Romania—53,000 children.

The top ten countries by number of Ukrainian children include: Slovakia, Ireland, the Netherlands, Belgium, and Austria. Between 24,800 and 41,200 children live in these countries.

Countries outside the EU are worth noting separately:

● Norway — 22,700 children;

● Finland — 19,300.

In a number of other countries, the number of Ukrainian children ranges from 11,400 to 18,600. These include Switzerland, Bulgaria, Lithuania, Italy, Hungary, Denmark, Sweden, and Portugal.

Lower figures were recorded in:

● Estonia, Croatia, and Greece — from 8,300 to 8,900;

● Latvia — 6,700;

● Cyprus — 5,800.

The fewest Ukrainian children are in Slovenia, Luxembourg, Liechtenstein, and Malta.

Statistics show that the largest number of Ukrainian children are concentrated in countries with developed social support systems and geographical proximity to Ukraine. At the same time, the gradual decline in numbers may indicate both the return of some families home and a redistribution among countries.

In this situation, it is important to understand the rules regarding residence and status. If you are planning to move or change your country of residence within the EU, it is advisable to clarify all legal details in advance. In particular, through Visit Ukraine, you can get advice from immigration lawyers who will help you navigate the paperwork and avoid common mistakes.

We remind you! In the first quarter of 2026, the number of new asylum requests from Ukrainians in the EU dropped sharply by 57%. While some European countries are discussing strict entry restrictions for foreigners, others continue to provide full support. Read about where refugees have stopped going and where protection status has been extended until 2027.

Photo: Freepik

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