A long-standing priority for the Ukrainian World Congress (UWC) has been advocating for Ukraine’s legislature to pass the law on multiple citizenship, which is “key to Ukraine’s future,” UWC President Paul Grod said in an interview with state German broadcaster Deutsche Welle.
The new legislation will encourage millions of Ukrainians who fled the Russo-Ukrainian war through strife, torture, and imminent danger, and engage them in rebuilding thier homeland — including through public service, holding leadership positions in educational institutions, and participating in elections.
“We need not just one, but a whole package of laws that allow Ukrainians to be citizens of Ukraine and other countries. Today, millions of Ukrainians have left Ukraine. If we want them to return, we need to make sure they don’t lose their citizenship,” Grod said.
He said many Ukrainians currently face a difficult choice: “Do I give up my citizenship to stay in my new country, or do I give up the citizenship of the country I now live in to keep my Ukrainian one?”
Grod continued: “Now Ukrainians won’t have to face such a difficult decision.”
By passing this law, Ukraine joins the majority of countries around the world that allow multiple citizenship, said Andriy Shevchenko, Head of the UWC Mission in Ukraine, in an interview with Radio Khartia.
“This is a historic moment. We are joining the vast majority of countries — over 130 worldwide, including most EU member states. Most importantly, this is major news for the millions of Ukrainian refugees and displaced people forced abroad since 2022,” Shevchenko said.
For many generations of the Ukrainian diaspora, the right to multiple citizenship was a dream, he added.
“They longed to affirm their Ukrainian identity even at times when there was no Ukrainian state or passport. That dream lived on through all the years of Ukrainian independence. So for the diaspora, this is a huge day — a true fulfillment of the dreams of many generations,” Shevchenko said.
Thus, Ukraine is laying the foundation for a wise, forward-looking policy, he said.
“This is one Ukrainian nation—no matter where you are, you’ll now have the chance to officially confirm your Ukrainian citizenship and become part of this global Ukrainian nation,” Shevchenko said.
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