Zelenskyy proposes dual citizenship for Ukrainian diaspora

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Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy announced Monday a legislative initiative to grant dual citizenship to the nation's diaspora for the first time.

The president made the remarks in a video address marking Unity Day, the state holiday marking the 1919 unification of Ukraine.

"Today I am submitting to the Verkhovna Rada [Ukrainian parliament] a key draft law that will allow the adoption of comprehensive legislative amendments and the introduction of multiple citizenship,"

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"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," he continued.

Zelenskyy noted the widespread diaspora of ethnic Ukrainians in all corners of the globe, honoring contributions to the defensive war against invading Russian forces from those who have historically been unable to hold citizenship in the country.

"Today, the unity of Ukrainians spans both hemispheres of the Earth. In every corner of which, on February 24, there were people declaring, 'I am Ukrainian.' Declaring it on all continents were our people live. Those who, with the outbreak of a full-scale war, regardless of their residence, birth, or passport, said in the affirmative, 'I am a Ukrainian.'"

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