Ukraine to grant citizenship to foreign fighters and their families, Zelenskyy says

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy announced plans to offer citizenship to foreign volunteers serving in its Defense Forces and their families. In his Telegram post on 15 August, the President emphasized the importance of recognizing and supporting those who defend Ukraine’s independence.

“Every warrior who defends the Ukrainian state, protects our people, defends our independence deserves recognition and maximum support.”

He specifically mentioned that this applies to “Ukrainian legionnaires” – the members of the Ukrainian International Legion, holding citizenship of other countries but not of Ukraine. The President stressed the fairness of extending this offer to the families of these fighters, stating,

“They deserve to be our citizens, citizens of Ukraine. It is also fair to extend this to their families, to the families of our heroes.”

This announcement comes as part of a broader set of legal measures, announced by Zelenskyy. These measures include guaranteeing full payments and benefits for soldiers participating in operations on the Russian territory, regulating the issue of captured weapons obtained in battles, and addressing the status of traitors who fled to Russia after 24 February 2022.

Zelenskyy also called for the Ukrainian parliament to convene urgently to consider these matters, highlighting the need to strengthen certain legal positions of the state in August.