Zelenskyy Pledges Selective Dual Citizenship To Diaspora Ukrainians

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy on Wednesday promised dual citizenship to the Ukrainians residing in the United States, a pledge that may require amendment to the country's constitution which still prohibits citizens from obtaining a second nationality

MOSCOW (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 22nd September, 2021) Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy on Wednesday promised dual citizenship to the Ukrainians residing in the United States, a pledge that may require amendment to the country's constitution which still prohibits citizens from obtaining a second nationality.

Zelenskyy is on a second working visit to the United States in a month. He met with representatives of local Ukrainian organizations and churches in the Ukrainian Institute of America in New York City.

"We will definitely implement the idea of dual citizenship, in particular for Ukrainians of America," the Ukrinform media outlet quoted the president as saying.

Zelenskyy said that dual nationality will not be available to all Ukrainians abroad as some of them live in countries, which, "to put it mildly, are not our friends.

" He also outlined the importance of the "restoring history, justice, respect for centuries-long, multinational" state of Ukraine.

While the US allows for dual nationality, under which a person enjoys the same rights and responsibilities as citizens of both nations, numerous other countries either do not support the scheme at all or put strict selection criteria for obtaining their citizenship. In some countries, such as India and China, the person granted another citizenship automatically loses the initial one.

In February, the National Security and Defense Council (NSDC) of Ukraine ordered the government to draft a bill addressing dual citizenship. Zelenskyy put the NSDC decision into effect. Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba said that Kiev planned to allow dual citizenship with EU countries but not with Russia.