Ukraine's parliament on June 18 supported a bill allowing Ukrainian citizens to hold passports of foreign countries, lawmaker Yaroslav Zhelezniak said.

The draft law, backed by 243 lawmakers in the second and final reading, outlines conditions for holding multiple citizenship and simplifies procedures for foreigners wanting to obtain Ukrainian passports.

The legislation must receive a presidential signature before entering force, largely a formality as President Volodymyr Zelensky himself submitted the bill last August.

Until now, the status of multiple citizenship has not been recognized by Ukrainian law.

The bill also establishes new grounds for losing citizenship, such as receiving a Russian passport or serving in the Russian Armed Forces.

The government will determine the list of countries whose citizens will be able to obtain Ukrainian passports in a simplified way, taking into account issues like EU membership or imposed sanctions in connection with Russian aggression.

Multiple citizenship will be recognized for foreigners from the listed countries who apply for Ukrainian citizenship, or if Ukrainian citizens apply for citizenship in these countries. It will also be recognized for Ukrainian spouses of foreign citizens and other specified cases.

Deputy Foreign Minister Serhii Kyslytsia said the law is not applicable to Russian citizens or citizens of countries that do not recognize Ukraine's territorial integrity.

Even before the full-scale invasion, the Ukrainian diaspora has been widespread around the world, with particularly large communities in the EU, the U.S., and Canada. The war drew millions more from their home, and 6.8 million Ukrainian refugees and asylum-seekers remain abroad as of 2025, according to U.N. data.

Among others, the bill is seen as part of Ukraine's effort to strengthen ties with Ukrainians living abroad. Zelensky said the document should allow ethnic Ukrainians born abroad to obtain citizenship.

The president included the step in his 10-point internal resilience plan last November.

Hungary’s soft power meets Ukraine’s hard reality in Zakarpattia

BEREHOVE, Zakarpattia Oblast — Thin gray smoke drifts beyond the patchwork of Soviet-era apartment blocks, historical buildings, and hillside vineyards that make up Berehove — the heart of the Hungarian community in Ukraine’s westernmost Zakarpattia Oblast. “That’s Hungary, over there,” gestures Vitalii Antipov, a member of the local council, toward the not-so-distant

The Kyiv IndependentMartin Fornusek

Editor's note: This story has been updated with the official statement from Kyiv's municipal authorities.

Christopher Walters, a U.S. filmmaker documenting the Russian war against Ukraine, was injured when a balcony fell on him in central Kyiv, he said on social media on May 29.

Walters posted a video address on Instagram, with visible bruises on his face and a ruined balcony in the background.

"While missiles and drones are flying, we are being injured by balconies due to someone's irresponsibility!" the filmmaker said in the post.

The incident took place in Kyiv's Podilskyi district in front of a building's entrance, said Tymur Tkachenko, head of the city's military administration.

Kyiv's municipal authorities said in a May 29 statement that workers from the Podilskyi District housing maintenance company immediately cleared the debris and cordoned off the area.

City officials said that technical inspections are now being prepared to assess what repairs are needed. They also noted that the injured individual did not call emergency services or request medical aid at the time.

According to the Kyiv administration, housing maintenance companies cannot access private balconies without the consent of homeowners. It urged those living in older buildings to report signs of structural damage immediately.

Tkachenko, who is in a public conflict with Kyiv Mayor Vitali Klitschko, stressed that the accident was "not a hostile attack but a consequence of many years of inaction."

Walters said he wants to conduct an investigation to determine the causes of the incident and prevent it from happening again.

Tkachenko added that he would have a "serious conversation" with district management companies and instructed the new head of the Podilskyi strict administration to keep in touch with the victim and inspect the damage.

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The Kyiv IndependentThe Kyiv Independent news desk