Monday, July 14, 2025

A court in Ukraine recognizes a same-sex couple as family

 


A Kyiv's District Court has formally recognized a same-sex couple as a family, marking the first legal precedent of its kind in UkraineUkraine does not currently recognize same-sex marriages or civil unions.

A district court in  has formally recognized a same-sex couple as family, the first legal precedent of its kind in the country. does not currently recognize same-sex marriages or civil unions.

The plaintiffs in the case were Zoryan Kis, first secretary of Ukraine’s Embassy in Israel, and his longtime partner, Tymur Levchuk. The couple has lived together since 2013 and were married in the U.S. in 2021.

The court’s decision cited both the Ukrainian constitution and precedent from the European Court of Human Rights (ECHR), to which Ukraine is a signatory. ECHR requires member states to ensure legal recognition and protection for same-sex families.

A draft law recognizing civil partnerships, introduced in March 2023, has not advanced in parliament. The proposed bill would legalize civil partnerships for both same-sex and heterosexual couples, offering them inheritance, medical, and property rights, but not the full status of marriage.

Public support for LGBTQ+ rights in Ukraine has grown steadily in recent years as the country has drawn closer to Europe, and in particular after Russia’s invasion on the sovereign nation in 2022.


Zoryan Kis and Tymur Levchuk wins first legal recognition as family in Ukraine



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