ABOVE: The Christopher Street Day 2022 sign in Berlin. (Washington Blade photo by Michael K. Lavers)
The president of Ukraine on Aug. 2 said he supports a civil partnership law for same-sex couples.
Kyiv Pride backed a marriage equality petition that was submitted to Volodymyr Zelenskyy on July 12 with more than 28,000 signatures, which is higher than the legal threshold that requires him to consider it.
Zelenskyy in his response to the petition notes his support for marriage equality, but acknowledges the Ukrainian constitution defines marriage as between a man and a woman and it cannot be amended while the country is under martial law. Zelenskky on Tuesday nevertheless directed his government to submit a report on whether same-sex couples can enter into civil partnerships through the country’s existing legal framework or a bill that would go through Parliament.
“I appealed to the prime minister of Ukraine with a request to consider the issue raised in the electronic petition and report about the relevant results,” said Zelenskky.
Zelenskyy last year pledged his country would continue to fight discrimination based on sexual orientation and gender identity after he met with President Joe Biden at the White House.
Anastasiia Baraniuk and Yulia Mulyukina, a lesbian couple who once lived in the Ukrainian city of Dniper, are among the millions of people who have fled the country since Russia began its war on Feb. 24. Baraniuk and Mulyukina last month told the Washington Blade in Berlin the fact that they are unable to legally prove they are in a relationship has prevented them from asking for asylum in the U.S. and Canada because the countries’ immigration systems are based on whether they are married or “common-law partners” respectively.
“Right now we are looking for a way to get the proof that we are a couple,” said Baraniuk. “We don’t want to stay in Berlin.”
Kyiv Pride on Tuesday welcomed Zelenskyy’s announcement.
“Congratulations to the community, the Pride movement,” tweeted Kyiv Pride. “Thank you to the authorities.”
ОДНОСТАТЕВИМ ПАРТНЕРСТВАМ В УКРАЇНІ – ТАК! Zelenskyy said yes to same-sex partnerships!
Офіс Президента відповів на петицію: планується розробити законопроєкт щодо реєстрових партнерств для ЛГБТ+ пар в Україні!
Вітаємо спільноту, прайд-рух та дякуємо владі! 🌈 pic.twitter.com/cZEmmSsIUU
— KyivPride (@KyivPride) August 2, 2022
Maksym Eristavi, who chairs Kyiv Pride’s board of directors, desribed Zelenskyy’s announcement as “historic.”
in a historic move president zelenskyy has just promised queer ukrainians to put forward a civil partnerships law with an open road to marriage equality after the martial law ends
— maksym.eristavi 🇺🇦🏳️🌈 (@maksymeristavi) August 2, 2022
