Key points
- The Verkhovna Rada has supported in its first reading the draft of the new Civil Code, bill №15150.
- Human rights organisations warn that the document contains provisions which could make life harder for same-sex couples.
- The Code removes the option of using the courts to prove cohabitation as a family – only a man-and-woman couple will be recognised as a “de facto family union”.
- A marriage will be automatically declared invalid if one of the spouses undergoes gender transition, with no clear moment of such a change defined.
- The European Commission has stressed that, for Ukraine to join the EU, its laws must comply with European standards, in particular regarding respect for private and family life and the prohibition of discrimination.
The Verkhovna Rada has passed in first reading the draft of the new Civil Code, bill №15150 – 254 MPs voted in favour of the document.
The new version of the Civil Code was registered on 22 January 2026 by the Speaker of the Verkhovna Rada, Ruslan Stefanchuk.
Human rights advocates note that the new Code contains provisions which could make life more difficult for same-sex couples.
At present, same-sex couples in Ukraine cannot marry, but they can go to court to prove that they live together as a family – and thereby obtain some of the rights of married spouses.
The new Code removes this option: only a man-and-woman couple will be recognised as a “de facto family union”. This means that even the minimum protection previously granted by the courts will disappear.
Another provision concerns people who have changed their gender. If one of the spouses undergoes a gender transition, the marriage is automatically declared invalid. However, the Code does not specify the precise moment from which the marriage ceases to be valid – and because of this, even couples who deliberately married after officially changing their gender marker in their documents may find themselves at risk.
In addition, a number of religious and conservative organisations oppose granting same-sex couples any legal status at all.
The European Commission has stated that, in order for Ukraine to join the EU, its legislation must comply with European rules – in particular those concerning respect for private and family life and the prohibition of discrimination.
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