Neither same-sex marriages nor civil partnerships are currently recognized by Ukrainian law. Estonia legalized marriage for same-sex couples on January 1, 2023 and was the first country formerly occupied by the Soviet Union to do so.

While legalizing same-sex marriages would require changes to Ukraine's constitution, which is prohibited during martial law, introducing civil partnerships is a much simpler task, the Kyiv Independent reported. Law makers supported a draft bill last year, but it is currently stuck in the parliament.

Christian Veske, Estonia's gender equality and equal treatment commissioner, discussed the law with Ukrainian officials last year at a conference about human rights during the war.

He was "positively surprised" when they wanted to learn from Estonia's experience.

"There are soldiers who have been on the front lines, some have ended up being killed, and their partners don't have any rights to anything. Even to visit them in the hospital when they are still alive. That [law] stems from real life needs and people understand that in Ukraine," he told ERR News last month.

Ukrainians' attitudes towards granting LGBT+ equal rights have improved since Russia launched its all-out war in 2022. In contrast, Russia has made intolerance of LGBT+ rights a core pillar of its anti-European ideology.

More than 70 percent of Ukrainains support equal rights for LGBT+, a spring survey by the Kyiv International Institute of Sociology showed.

ERR News has previously reported that several Estonian government departments and agencies already work with their Ukrainian counterparts on reforms. However, the Equality Commissioner's Office has only just started.

"While the possibilities for our cooperation with Ukraine are broad, I see that a special focus could be on communicating human rights and equality during the war," Veske said.

In January, representatives from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs will visit Zhytomyr region – which Estonia is helping to rebuild – to reopen the oblast's human right's center which has been upgraded and modernized.

"I really hope that our office will be able to contribute in terms of discussing human rights issues with the Ukrainian people in the future," the commissioner said.

Veske said he was pleased Ukraine has chosen to open independent ombudsman offices in all regions of Ukraine, not just in one central location, to deal with problems that arise: "This will bring human rights topics closer to the people."

Ukraine will also need to update its legislation during the European Union accession process, which Estonia is assisting with. "It's not something separate – It's a core value of the EU to understand human rights," he said.

Veske stressed this process is not a one way street. "When I came back from Ukraine, I also realized that it's not only us going there and working with people. There is equally as much, if not even more, that we have to learn from the Ukrainian people," he said.

"This amazing resilience people have and how they find unity in society at the moment. So I think there is a lot for us to learn as public servants, but also in civil society organizations as well."

Veske has been the gender equality and equal treatment commissioner since 2022. He took up the role after decade working abroad, including at the European Institute for Gender Equality (EIGE), the EU's agency for gender equality.

Estonia has already rebuild a bridge and a kindergarten in Zhytomyr Oblast. State officials are helping their Ukrainian counterparts prepare for the EU accession process, and the Police and Border Guard Board are assisting with modernization efforts.

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