Zelensky introduces dual-nationality legislation on Unity Day

Summary

President Zelensky has introduced legislation to allow dual citizenship in Ukraine, aiming to strengthen the nation's future by retaining connections with its diaspora and encouraging the return of refugees and ethnic Ukrainians post-war.

Abstract

On Unity Day, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky proposed a significant change to the country's nationality law by introducing legislation that would permit dual citizenship. This move is seen as critical for the future of Ukraine, which has seen a drastic population decline due to war and emigration, from 50 million in 1996 to an estimated 30 million after the 2022 invasion. The proposed legislation is designed to address the concerns of Ukrainian refugees, many of whom have been displaced and may settle abroad, and to potentially welcome back members of the Ukrainian diaspora and their descendants. The new law, which would also grant Ukrainian citizenship to foreign fighters who have defended the country, requires approval from the legislative body and constitutional courts and is expected to take about a year to implement. This legislative change is viewed as essential for encouraging the return of Ukrainians to help rebuild their country after the war.

Opinions

The author, as a U.S.-born daughter of Ukrainian refugees, emphasizes the importance of maintaining a connection to Ukrainian roots and the challenges her parents faced during the Cold War.
The author expresses concern about the long-term viability of Ukraine if its citizens continue to leave or do not return from abroad.
The author recalls the difficulty her mother, a "stateless" individual, had in obtaining a visa to visit Ukraine, highlighting the punitive nature of the previous citizenship laws.
The author supports Zelensky's proposed legislation, seeing it as a necessary step to ensure a stable and prosperous future for Ukraine by encouraging Ukrainians abroad to return and contribute to the country's reconstruction.
The author believes that the United States and the European Union should provide military aid to Ukraine to help win the war, which is a prerequisite for focusing on post-war development and repatriation.

Why is this critical to the future of Ukraine and Ukraine’s Diaspora?

Ukraine’s Rada, 1996, Photo by Author

As the U.S.-born daughter of Ukrainian refugees from war-torn WWII Europe, I watched my parents try to retain close contact with their families behind the Iron Curtain. I observed them do as much as they could during the Cold War to stay connected with their Ukrainian roots — read the newspapers, maintain close ties to the Ukrainian diaspora community, and teach their children about Ukraine never knowing if and when they could return home. If they did return home, would they even be welcome?

I have had the same disarming thoughts about today’s six million plus Ukrainian refugees. So many of them have been displaced by this war and are living as guests in foreign countries. Not knowing how long until it will be safe to go home, many of them are creating new lives in a new country. While I have been grateful to the countries around the world who have taken in and sheltered these refugees, I worry about the long-term viability of Ukraine if their citizens continue to leave or do not return.

In 1996, when I lived for a year and a half in Ukraine, the population of the country was 50 million. Before the outbreak of the war in 2022, the population had dropped to 40 million, some lost to job opportunities and other countries and others lost from the war in the Donbass. Now Ukraine’s population has been estimated to be closer to 30 million.

If this war lasts too long, these Ukrainians may integrate into these countries and eventually become long-term residents or even citizens. While fighting and winning the war in Ukraine has taken up quite a bit of my mind space, I have also been thinking quite a bit about what happens after the war is over. Who will be left to pick up the pieces and help Ukraine rebuild? Will the Ukrainian refugees or other Ukrainian diaspora descendants return to Ukraine to support rebuilding the country? If they came back would Ukraine welcome them?

This is what makes Zelensky’s announced legislation proposal yesterday so critically important to pass.

In 1996, as a U.S. citizen, I was easily given a multi-year visa to Ukraine by the Ukrainian consulate. When my Ukrainian mother, who had chosen to declare “statelessness” rather than return to the hostile Soviet Union after WWII, applied for a tourist visa to visit me, it took months for the Ukrainian authorities to grant it, and when the paperwork finally came back to her, they had only granted her a two-week stay. In my opinion, this was a symbolic punishment for my mother for refusing to return to the Soviet Union all those years ago.

I found those same punishing conditions in Ukraine’s citizenship law as well. About fifteen years ago, I looked into qualifications for Ukrainian citizenship as an ethnic Ukrainian but was deterred by the condition that I would have to renounce my U.S. citizenship. Ukraine’s 2001 constitutional amendment doesn’t allow Ukrainian citizens to have dual citizenship and requires any new citizen applicants to renounce their country of origin’s citizenship.

However, yesterday on Ukraine’s celebration of Unity Day, President Zelensky proposed legislation to change this. The new legislation would not only allow current Ukrainian citizens the right to dual citizenship, but also would offer Ukrainian citizenship to foreign fighters, and ethnic Ukrainian diaspora and their descendants. This new legislation will take about a year to take effect and will require approval from the legislative body and the constitutional courts. I imagine if the courts block this, it may require a new amendment to the constitution.

I applaud Zelensky’s actions yesterday. This is the right thing to do, and Ukraine should pass an amendment as soon as possible to enable dual citizenship. In a meeting on Capital Hill back in October, a legislative aid asked me if the United States should support accelerated green cards for Ukrainian refugees so they could feel more secure in our country.

I responded that I was torn. While I wanted Ukrainians to feel safe and secure in the United States while their homeland is at war, I also wanted Ukrainians to flock back home to help build a stable and rich country after the war ends. I knew Ukraine’s nationality law might dissuade Ukrainians from returning home if they had taken on permanent working papers or citizenship of another country. While I told the legislative aid having the option of a green card would be wonderful for the refugees, it will be important for Ukraine to encourage Ukrainians to return regardless of their citizenship status. A change to the nationality law would be needed to secure this.

Now I see Ukraine is looking ahead and preparing for a bright future of peace and prosperity by taking action now that it needs to encourage its people to come home to help build that better future!

Now is the time for the U.S. Congress and the European Union to act with military aid packages to help Ukraine win the war so the country can focus on reconstruction, development, and bring their people home!

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