Putin: Kremlin may ease citizenship requirements for all Ukrainians
It is possible that after the citizenship requirements have been simplified for the residents of the Donbas, a similar an opportunity will be provided to all Ukrainian citizens, stated Russian President Vladimir Putin as quoted by RIA Novosti.
"We are providing such an opportunity of obtaining our citizenship not only to the residents of the LPR and DRP. We are also thinking about giving all citizens of Ukraine our citizenship in a simplified way, " he said.
Putting stressed that the decision on citizenship for Donbas residents was not spontaneous.
"We've estimated everything. The number of possible applicants for our passports, and the number of pensioners among them. They [the pensioners] would represent about one third of those who we believe can apply for our citizenship," Putin said.
According to him, the expenses in connection with granting Russian citizenship to the residents of Donbas can reach 100 billion rubles ($1.54 billion). But this number is not for a year, but for a few years ahead.
On April 24, 2019, Putin signed a decree allowing residents of certain regions of the Donetsk and Luhansk regions to obtain Russian citizenship in a simplified manner. This procedure exempts the residents of the areas of the Donbas, which are under the control of pro-Russian militants, from the requirements to pass compulsory exams and live in Russia for more than five years prior to applying for citizenship.
In connection with this decision, the UN Security Council called an emergency meeting regarding Ukraine. It may take place on Thursday, April 25.
Rumors that Russia after the second round of elections in Ukraine could introduce a simplified procedure for granting citizenship to LPR and DPR residents appeared in mid-April. According to the similar experience of Abkhazia and South Ossetia, this should relieve social tensions in the occupied territory by providing the possibility of free travel to Russia for work.
According to the Ukrainian Foreign Ministry, despite the war in the Donbas and the annexation of the Crimea, there are about 3 million Ukrainian citizens in Russia. In December, the Russian Federation has passed the law that simplifies obtaining Russian citizenship for Ukrainians. In 2018, the Russian Federation granted citizenship to more than 83 thousand citizens of Ukraine.