Lecture by Iryna PROTSYK, Head of the Citizenship Division of the Consular Affairs Directorate, Consular Service Department, MFA of Ukraine

On April 27, 2026, with the support of the Department of International Organizations and Diplomatic Service at the Institute of International Relations and Diplomacy of Taras Shevchenko National University of Kyiv, a practice-oriented professional meeting was held with Ms. Iryna PROTSYK, Head of the Citizenship Division of the Consular Activities Directorate within the Consular Service Department of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine.

He event took place as part of the course “Consular Work in Modern Diplomatic Practice” (instructor: Assistant Professor Serhii AVERIANOV). The master class was conducted with first-year Master’s degree students in the “International Relations” program. The topic of the master class was “Functions of Consular Officials: Citizenship Issues.”

The lecture focused on the daily activities of Ukrainian consuls — the people who serve as the “face” of our state abroad. Ms. Iryna discussed the legal status of a consul, the limits of their powers, and their duties to the state and citizens. She shed light on the specifics of processes related to citizenship and shared her own extensive experience in crisis management amid geopolitical instability and Russian aggression.

The meeting took place in a friendly atmosphere of dialogue and exchange of views. The students showed keen interest in the specifics of a consul’s work abroad and asked questions about the intricacies of processing passport documents. Ms. Iryna kindly provided numerous examples from her own consular practice and the work situations of her colleagues.

Following the open lecture, students of the Institute of International Relations and Law had the opportunity to learn firsthand the details of acquiring, renewing, and terminating citizenship in accordance with current legislation, as well as to hear insights regarding potential challenges and legal conflicts that consuls face in their daily work.

On behalf of the department, we sincerely thank Ms. Iryna PROTSYK for her time and look forward to further fruitful cooperation with the students of our institute in the future.