The Crimean Tatar diaspora has supported Ukrainian sovereignty since 1991 and contributed to conflict resolution among Crimean Tatars and Ukraine and homeland Crimean Tatars ‘ well-being. They also advocated for the Turkish strategic alliance with Ukraine due to their traumatic historical experiences with Russia. In this article, we investigate the relations between the Crimean Tatar diaspora and Ukraine, based on our long-term comparative historical analysis of Crimean Tatar historical transnationalism and by drawing up some comparisons with Ukrainian and other diaspora communities. We suggest that Ukraine cannot take the Crimean Tatar diaspora for granted and must engage with it as it constitutes its political and legal diaspora. Ukraine does not sufficiently ‘tap ‘ or ’embrace ‘ its diasporas, but more importantly, it needs to develop an approach of ‘governance ‘ in which Crimean Tatar home and diaspora organizations, nation-state institutions of Ukraine, and host-states such as Turkey and Romania and international organizations take part.