Ukraine expands the list of countries eligible under multiple citizenship policy: Romania included

The Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine has approved an updated list of states whose citizens may acquire Ukrainian citizenship under a simplified procedure. The relevant list was defined by the Government resolution of 8 May 2026 No. 589. It includes partner states, among them Romania, as well as a number of EU countries, the United Kingdom, the United States, Canada, Norway and Switzerland.

This is not merely a technical expansion of the list of countries, but a practical stage in the implementation of Ukraine’s new policy on multiple citizenship. The inclusion of neighbouring EU member states is particularly significant, as it reflects Ukraine’s intention to regulate citizenship issues more flexibly in the context of European integration, migration mobility and the strengthening of ties with partner countries.

The inclusion of Romania is especially important. For the south-west of Odesa Oblast, the Ukrainian Danube region, Chernivtsi Oblast and Zakarpattia, this issue has not only a legal but also a social and humanitarian dimension. These regions have historically maintained close family, cultural, educational and economic ties with Romania and other neighbouring EU countries. Therefore, the regulation of citizenship issues may reduce legal uncertainty for some citizens and, at the same time, strengthen Ukraine’s connection with its diaspora and border communities.

For Ukraine, this step is also important in the context of European integration. The model of multiple citizenship allows the state to work more flexibly with Ukrainians abroad, persons of Ukrainian origin, families of servicemen and citizens of partner countries who associate their future with Ukraine. At the same time, the state must preserve safeguards in the areas of national security, public service, electoral rights and access to sensitive information.

IDR comment

The Institute of Danube Research notes that the inclusion of Romania in the list of states under Ukraine’s new citizenship policy is an important signal for Ukrainian-Romanian relations and for the entire Danube region.

For the Ukrainian Danube region, this decision is of particular importance. Romania is not only a neighbouring EU and NATO member state, but also a key partner of Ukraine in transport connectivity, border infrastructure, Danube logistics, energy security and cross-border cooperation. In this context, citizenship policy should not be viewed in isolation, but as part of Ukraine’s broader rapprochement with the European space.

The inclusion of Romania may have a positive effect on border communities in Odesa Oblast, especially in the Ukrainian Danube region, where human, economic and cultural contacts with Romania are part of everyday life. It creates preconditions for more orderly mobility, clearer legal integration, the development of educational and professional pathways, and the strengthening of trust between the state and citizens with cross-border life experience.

At the same time, IDR emphasizes that such a policy requires clear procedures, transparent administration and coordination with national security priorities. It is especially important that the new rules do not create inequality among citizens, weaken their connection with Ukraine or become an instrument of political influence by third states. Therefore, the implementation of multiple citizenship should be accompanied by effective work of the State Migration Service, consular institutions, local self-government bodies and relevant state authorities.

According to IDR experts, Ukraine’s key task is to transform the institution of multiple citizenship from a potentially sensitive issue into an instrument of national consolidation, diaspora support and deeper partnership with European Union member states. In the case of Romania, this may become an additional factor in strengthening ties within the Ukraine — Romania — Danube region triangle, where mobility, security, economy and European integration are increasingly interconnected.