On October 27, the 61st meeting of the National Commission for Matters Concerning Ukrainians Worldwide was held under the chairmanship of Deputy Foreign Minister of Ukraine Mariana Betsa.
Following the consideration of applications submitted by foreigners and stateless persons, the Commission decided to grant the status of Ukrainians living abroad to 30 applicants, as well as to renew the relevant certificates for 25 persons from 12 countries, including Azerbaijan, Argentina, Brazil, the United Kingdom, Israel, Kazakhstan, Germany, Poland, the United States, Tanzania, Turkmenistan, and Finland.
“Under the conditions of Russia’s full-scale aggression, maintaining strong and unbreakable ties between Ukrainians around the world and their homeland has taken on particular strategic importance. Granting the status of Ukrainians living abroad is an important instrument for strengthening national unity, preserving Ukrainian identity, and affirming belonging to the united Ukrainian nation, regardless of place of residence. Today, more than ever, it is important that every Ukrainian abroad feels connected to Ukraine and remains an integral part of its future,” Mariana Betsa stressed.
During the meeting, the Chair of the National Commission informed participants about the results of the work carried out by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine to improve the legal and regulatory framework governing cooperation with Ukrainians living abroad and the functioning of the Commission.
In particular, the composition of the Commission was updated pursuant to Order No.1028-r of the Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine dated October 7, 2026, “On Approval of the New Composition of the National Commission for Matters Concerning Ukrainians Worldwide.” A representative of the Ukrainian Parliament Commissioner for Human Rights was included in its composition. In addition, the names of the ministries represented on the Commission were updated to reflect the official names of the respective government bodies.
The effectiveness of the Commission’s activities is reflected, in particular, in the number of persons granted the status of Ukrainians living abroad. Since the beginning of its activities in 2006, the status has been granted to 12,211 persons — nationals of nearly 91 countries, as well as stateless persons. These figures demonstrate the wide geographic reach of the Ukrainian diaspora, its enduring ties with its historical homeland, and its interest in preserving and strengthening its ties with Ukraine.