Zelenskyy Names Countries to Be First Covered by Ukraine’s Multiple Citizenship Law
President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has announced that Germany, Poland, and the Czech Republic will be the first countries where the provisions of Ukraine’s new multiple citizenship law will apply, with Canada and the United States expected to follow.
The Gaze reports this, referring to the Office of the President of Ukraine.
Zelenskyy made the statement on August 26 during a meeting in Kyiv with representatives of the Ukrainian World Congress (UWC).
The discussion focused on diaspora engagement, diplomatic efforts, pressure on Russia, the return of abducted children, and support for Ukrainian defenders.
According to the President’s Office, the UWC delegation informed Zelenskyy that funds raised abroad had already been directed to drones and vehicles for frontline needs.
Zelenskyy expressed gratitude for the assistance and emphasized that the new citizenship legislation would strengthen ties between Ukraine and its global diaspora.
“The law has been adopted, and in the near future the government will approve the necessary regulations. The first countries with which this mechanism will be applied are Germany, Poland, and the Czech Republic. Later, multiple citizenship will be extended to Canada and the United States,” Zelenskyy said, calling the reform “a step toward even greater unity of Ukrainians around the world.”
As The Gaze reported earlier, on 18 June, Ukraine's Parliament adopted a landmark piece of legislation that introduces the legal framework for multiple citizenship, signalling a significant shift in the country's approach to nationality.
The law is set to enter into force on January 16, 2026 – six months after its signing. The idea of multiple citizenship had been debated prior to Russia’s full-scale invasion in 2022, but the war gave the proposal renewed urgency as millions of Ukrainians settled abroad.