Ukrainian MP Yasko Criticizes New MFA Certificate for Children Abroad

Ukrainian Member of Parliament Inna Yasko publicly criticised a new certificate introduced by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs for children of Ukrainian citizens living abroad. The certificate is intended to establish a child's Ukrainian identity, but Yasko questioned the criteria and who would have authority to evaluate them.

Who Is Ukrainian Enough?

Yasko's central challenge was pointed: Who is Ukrainian enough? she asked, warning that creating bureaucratic gatekeeping around national identity could alienate families who fled Ukraine due to the war and now live in Europe or elsewhere.

The new procedure has raised concerns among civil society groups and diaspora communities, who worry it could stigmatise children raised partly outside of Ukraine. Critics argue that Ukrainian identity should not be measured by a state certificate, especially while millions of Ukrainians remain forced to seek refuge abroad.