Ukraine’s Zelenskiy hails diaspora’s support, proposes dual citizenship

President Volodymyr Zelenskiy thanked Ukrainians abroad on Monday for their support during Russia’s invasion, and proposed changing the constitution to allow dual citizenship.

Ukraine’s constitution does not give Ukrainian citizens the right to dual citizenship, so millions of people of Ukrainian origin who live abroad are unable to hold Ukrainian passports.

In what appeared a symbolic gesture on Ukraine’s Unity Day, marking the anniversary of the unification of eastern and western Ukraine in 1919, Zelenskiy said he was submitting draft legislation to parliament that would allow dual citizenship.

“Today I am submitting to the Verkhovna Rada a key draft law that will allow the adoption of comprehensive legislative amendments and the introduction of multiple citizenship,” Zelenskiy said in a statement.

“And it will allow all ethnic Ukrainians and their descendants from around the world to have our citizenship. Of course, except for citizens of the aggressor country.”

Ukrainian officials often refer to Russia as the aggressor country following its full-scale invasion on Feb. 24 2022 and occupation of swathes of Ukrainian territory.

Zelenskiy has frequently underlined the need for unity as Russia’s war in Ukraine drags on, with Kyiv heavily dependent on military and financial aid from abroad.

Thanking the diaspora for its support, including those who had come to fight for Ukraine, Zelenskiy said the words “I am Ukrainian” carried a special meaning, and hailed the “indomitability of our people.”

Changes to the constitution need the approval of parliament, a process that could take about a year, and the authorisation of the Constitutional court.