From EUobserver · · 1m 20s
Zelensky Stalls on EU Gay Rights Promises
Ukraine's new human rights strategy for LGBTI rights stalls as minority languages law advances.
In brief
Ukraine's new human rights strategy for LGBTI rights stalls as minority languages law advances. Ukraine's national human rights strategy for LGBTI rights, signed by Zelensky in October, lacks legal recognition for same-sex partnerships despite EU benchmarks. Originally reported by EUobserver.
Olena's story
Olena, a Ukrainian shop assistant, was detained by Russian soldiers in Kherson in 2022 and threatened with sexual violence.
“Two months before Kherson was liberated in November 2022, Russian soldiers searched a young shop assistant’s home and found two flags: one Ukrainian, one rainbow.”
Ukraine's human rights strategy
Zelensky signed Ukraine's national human rights strategy in October 2025, dedicating a section to LGBTI rights and committing to fighting discrimination.
“On 12 October, Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky signed a national human rights strategy that, for the first time, devoted a section of its own to LGBTI rights.”
Minority languages law
Ukraine passed a minority languages law in October 2025, expanding EU language education for national minorities within six months.
“Parliament acted on another question of minority rights that same day. Hungary had blocked two clusters of Ukraine’s accession talks until Kyiv expanded schooling in EU languages for national minorities.”
LGBTI rights progress
Ukraine's LGBTI rights legislation has stalled since 2023, with bills for same-sex partnerships and hate crime protections still in committee.
“A registered-partnerships bill for same-sex and different-sex couples, introduced in March 2023, has sat in the legal policy committee ever since.”
Civil code changes
Ukraine's Civil Code was amended in 2025 to reserve family unions for men and women, reversing a 2024 ruling on same-sex families.
“In February, the Supreme Court let stand a ruling recognising two men as a family, rejecting a challenge from a conservative campaign group. Two months later, Parliament voted 254 to 2 to advance a new Civil Code reserving, de facto, family unions to a man and a woman.”
Police response
Police in Ukraine have failed to investigate hate crimes against LGBTI individuals, citing small scale rather than discrimination.
“The police say officers intervened at once and cited two men for petty hooliganism. The women say they spent hours at the station, where officers tried to discourage them from filing and would not record a discriminatory motive.”
EU benchmarks
Ukraine's EU equality benchmarks require legal recognition of same-sex partnerships but have not been met.
“The European Commission also found last year that Ukraine did not systematically collect data on such crimes.”
What to remember
Ukraine's national human rights strategy for LGBTI rights, signed by Zelensky in October, lacks legal recognition for same-sex partnerships despite EU benchmarks.
