--- description: Citizens of the Russian Federation won’t be able to apply, Zelensky said. title: Ukraine’s Zelensky Proposes Citizenship to Volunteer Fighters, Ethnic Ukrainians image: https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/bltadb097b2bd19b3ca/698a4411cabb1d6df9e5227d/ukraine-zelensky-citizenship.jpg?branch=production&width=2400&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=16:9 ---  * [World](/section/world/) ## World Update your preferences in [Account Settings](/account/preferences/) Close * [Ukraine](/tag/ukraine/) ## Ukraine Update your preferences in [Account Settings](/account/preferences/) Close # Zelensky Proposes Offering Ukrainian Citizenship to Foreign Volunteer Fighters and Ethnic Ukrainians Worldwide by [Olesia Safronova / Bloomberg](/author/bloomberg/) ## Olesia Safronova / Bloomberg Update your preferences in [Account Settings](/account/preferences/) Close Jan 22, 2024 9:10 AM CUT  Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky presents new housing certificates to Ukrainian soldiers and their families at Mariinskyi Palace in Kyiv on Jan. 19, 2024. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky presents new housing certificates to Ukrainian soldiers and their families at Mariinskyi Palace in Kyiv on Jan. 19, 2024.Ukrainian Presidency Handout/Anadolu/Getty Images by [Olesia Safronova / Bloomberg](/author/bloomberg/) ## Olesia Safronova / Bloomberg Update your preferences in [Account Settings](/account/preferences/) Close Jan 22, 2024 9:10 AM CUT [Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky](https://time.com/6551657/6551657/ "undefined") said he’s submitting legislation to parliament that will allow ethnic Ukrainians living in other countries and foreign volunteers fighting for the nation to take up dual citizenship. The bill will establish the institution of “multiple” citizenship, Zelensky said in a Kyiv address dedicated to Ukrainian Unity day, which is celebrated Monday. Citizens of the Russian Federation won’t be able to apply, he said. > [](https://twitter.com/ZelenskyyUa/status/1749326680282235337) ```json [{"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"NewsArticle","@id":"https://time.com/6564994/zelensky-ukrainian-citizenship-foreign-volunteer-fighters-ethnic-ukrainians/","mainEntityOfPage":{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https://time.com/6564994/zelensky-ukrainian-citizenship-foreign-volunteer-fighters-ethnic-ukrainians/"},"headline":"Zelensky Proposes Offering Ukrainian Citizenship to Foreign Volunteer Fighters and Ethnic Ukrainians Worldwide","datePublished":"2024-01-22T09:10:00.000Z","dateModified":"2026-02-24T16:59:45.685Z","description":"Citizens of the Russian Federation won’t be able to apply, Zelensky said.","url":"https://time.com/6564994/zelensky-ukrainian-citizenship-foreign-volunteer-fighters-ethnic-ukrainians/","keywords":["Ukraine","wire","overnight","News Desk"],"thumbnailUrl":"https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/bltadb097b2bd19b3ca/698a4411cabb1d6df9e5227d/ukraine-zelensky-citizenship.jpg?branch=production&width=1200&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=1200:675&height=675","author":[{"@type":"Person","name":"Olesia Safronova / Bloomberg"}],"articleSection":"World","image":[{"@type":"ImageObject","url":"https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/bltadb097b2bd19b3ca/698a4411cabb1d6df9e5227d/ukraine-zelensky-citizenship.jpg?branch=production&width=1200&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=1200:675&height=675","width":1200,"height":675,"headline":"Volodymyr Zelenskyy presents housing certificates to Ukrainian soldiers","caption":"Volodymyr Zelenskyy presents housing certificates to Ukrainian soldiers","creditText":"Ukrainian Presidency Handout/Anadolu/Getty Images","representativeOfPage":true}],"publisher":{"@type":"Organization","name":"Time","url":"https://time.com/","logo":{"@type":"ImageObject","url":"https://time.com/images/logo.png","width":528,"height":156},"foundingDate":"March 3, 1923","sameAs":["https://www.facebook.com/time","https://www.instagram.com/time/?hl=en","https://twitter.com/time","https://www.pinterest.com/timemagazine"]}},{"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"BreadcrumbList","itemListElement":[{"@type":"ListItem","position":1,"item":{"@id":"/section/world/","name":"World"}},{"@type":"ListItem","position":2,"item":{"@id":"/tag/ukraine/","name":"Ukraine"}},{"@type":"ListItem","position":3,"item":{"@id":"https://time.com/6564994/zelensky-ukrainian-citizenship-foreign-volunteer-fighters-ethnic-ukrainians/","name":"Zelensky Proposes Offering Ukrainian Citizenship to Foreign Volunteer Fighters and Ethnic Ukrainians Worldwide"}}]}] ```