In a further sign of continued tension between the Ukraine and Russia, on August 13, 2019, Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelenskiy extended an offer of citizenship to political refugees from Russia. The legislation must be passed by the legislature before becoming law. If passed, political refugees would need to prove past persecution based on political belief to a Ukrainian government body or post. The decree follows Russia’s decision in July 2019 to increase the number of Ukrainians eligible for fast-track Russian passports. Russia is expected to respond to Zelenskiy’s decree in the next few days.
