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There should be open public discussion about the rights of the LGBTQ+ community in Ukraine, President Volodymyr Zelensky said on June 11, in a rare reference to the topic.

Zelensky's comment came during a cultural event in Kyiv, as legislative efforts to advance LGBTQ+ rights in Ukraine continue to face slow progress, despite growing public support in recent years.

Oleksandr Demenko, a veteran and head of an LGBTQ+ military and veterans NGO asked the president whether Ukraine needs cultural products that "normalize LGBTQ+ topic" and help increase public tolerance in the country.

"I believe that everything should be discussed openly with society, and that is completely normal," Zelensky replied.

"We are all here together, we are defending the state, we are the same and we have absolutely the same rights, regardless of any prejudices held by people from the 15th century. We are modern people," the president added.

While public support for LGBTQ+ rights in Ukraine has increased, the community continues to face frequent threats and violence, particularly from far-right groups. A 2024 poll by the Kyiv International Institute of Sociology found that over 70% of Ukrainians believe LGBTQ+ people should have the same rights as others.

https://kyivindependent.com/zelensky-backs-open-public-dialogue-on-lgbtq-rights-in-ukraine/