Ukraine unites across borders: the Verkhovna Rada passes the law on multiple citizenship

Statement by Paul Grod, President of the Ukrainian World Congress
Calling on Ukrainians Worldwide to Join in Building a Strong, Independent, and Modern Ukraine
June 2025 – Kyiv, Ukraine

The Ukrainian World Congress (UWC) proudly welcomes the historic decision of the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine to pass Law No. 11469, which officially recognizes the right of Ukrainians to hold multiple citizenships. This marks the beginning of a new era, an era of unity and solidarity among all Ukrainians, no matter where they live.

This is not just a legal milestone. It is a clear and open invitation to every Ukrainian abroad: come back, invest, participate, build! Ukraine today is fighting not only for its territorial integrity, but also for a new national identity that is global, inclusive, and democratic. In this struggle, there are no “outsiders.” We are one people, one nation.

“Today, we send a message to the world: Ukrainians abroad are not ‘emigrants’ or ‘former citizens’, they are active co-creators of the new Ukraine,” said Paul Grod, President of the UWC. “This law is a key that opens the doors for millions of Ukrainians around the globe to return in heart, in mind, with their experience, investment, and commitment.”

Importantly, this law affirms and protects Ukraine’s sovereign right to define and control its own citizenship policies. The Ukrainian state will retain full authority over who is eligible to become a citizen, ensuring that this legal path is open to those who share Ukraine’s values, contribute to its development, and support its independence. This is not a blanket opening, it is a principled reconnection with those who have long carried Ukraine in their hearts and actions.

This law is especially important not only for the historic diaspora, but also for the millions of citizens who have been forcibly displaced by Russia’s full-scale invasion and are now living abroad as temporary or long-term migrants. Their experience, energy, and loyalty to Ukraine must not be forgotten. Their role in Ukraine’s future, in victory, in rebuilding, in reimagining the nation, is indispensable.

We call on Ukrainians from all continents, from Toronto to Buenos Aires, Cape Town to Dubai, from Sydney to London, and from the frontline towns of Ukraine to the refugee communities of Warsaw and Berlin: take up this historic challenge!   Be part of the national revival: start businesses in Ukraine, support local communities, vote, volunteer, contribute to reconstruction, and share your knowledge, technologies, and resources.

“This law is a shared victory for the global Ukrainian community. But more importantly, it is a tool to help bring about our ultimate Victory and Ukraine’s future recovery. Your country is waiting for you. Your people need you. Ukraine is you,” Grod emphasized.

We thank President Volodymyr Zelenskyy for completing this crucial reform and Deputy Prime Minister Oleksandr Chernyshov for his strong leadership.

The UWC continues to work on further legislative initiatives to remove barriers that prevent Ukrainians with multiple citizenships from fully participating in national life. We are committed to serving as the unified voice of Ukrainians abroad, in close partnership with Ukraine’s public institutions.

To every Ukrainian across the globe:

This is your moment.
This is your country.
This is our common victory—and shared responsibility.

Join the great cause—Ukraine’s victory and national rebirth!
Glory to Ukraine!