Ukraine's Supreme Court has delivered a historic victory for LGBTQ+ rights by upholding a decision to legally recognise a same-sex marriage as a de facto family union. The ruling, confirmed on 25 February, represents a significant legal breakthrough in a country where the constitution defines marriage as exclusively between a man and a woman.

The case centred on the relationship between LGBTQ+ activists Zoyran Kis and Tymur Levchuk. Their legal team successfully argued that the pair constituted a family under Ukrainian law, citing their long-term cohabitation since 2013, an unofficial ceremony in Ukraine in 2016, and their official marriage in the United States in 2021.

The legal journey began after the Ukrainian Foreign Ministry, earlier in 2024, refused to acknowledge Levchuk as Kis's family member. This refusal blocked Levchuk from accompanying Kis on a diplomatic posting to Israel. In response, a district court in Kyiv ruled in the couple's favour last June, a decision that was subsequently appealed by the conservative group Vsi Razom (All Together). The Supreme Court's recent verdict rejects that appeal, solidifying the lower court's recognition.

The human rights organisation Insight LGBTQ announced the final outcome on 9 March. The group hailed the ruling as "a tremendous precedent," stating it would help prevent anti-LGBTQ+ organisations from using the courts "as a tool to persecute or overturn decisions in favour of LGBT+ people under the guise of 'social morality'".

While not altering the constitutional definition of marriage, the Supreme Court's decision establishes a powerful legal precedent for recognising the family rights of same-sex couples in Ukraine, particularly in areas such as immigration and official documentation.