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As the world watches the Russian invasion of Ukraine unfold, UkraineAlert delivers the best Atlantic Council expert insight and analysis on Ukraine twice a week directly to your inbox.

editor’s picks

Latest analysis

UkraineAlert

Jan 27, 2020

PACE risks becoming a watchdog with no bite

By Oleksiy Goncharenko

Ukraine’s return to the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe is in danger of being overshadowed by efforts to make it much more difficult to impose sanctions similar to the measures aimed at Russia over the 2014 invasion of Ukraine. Will Europe’s human rights watchdog lose its bite?

Europe & Eurasia
International Organizations

UkraineAlert

Jan 27, 2020

Is Putin preparing a new Ukraine strategy?

By Anders Åslund

The departure of Vladimir Putin’s gray cardinal Vladislav Surkov and his replacement as Ukraine policy curator by Dmitry Kozak has led to speculation that Russia could be planning a change in its Ukraine strategy.

Conflict
Politics & Diplomacy

UkraineAlert

Jan 24, 2020

Rumors of Ukraine’s death on Capitol Hill are greatly exaggerated

By John E. Herbst

Ukraine’s role at the heart of the Trump impeachment process has raised concerns that bipartisan support for the country could suffer but John E. Herbst argues that US backing for Ukraine remains strong.

Politics & Diplomacy
Ukraine

UkraineAlert

Jan 23, 2020

Ukraine’s economic target: From stabilization to growth

By Vladislav Inozemtsev

Ukraine has staged a strong economic recovery over the past few years but the question in 2020 is whether the new Zelenskyy government can lead the country’s economy from stabilization to sustainable growth.

Economy & Business
Fiscal and Structural Reform

UkraineAlert

Jan 22, 2020

Ukraine can feed Brexit Britain

By Bate C. Toms

The UK is Europe’s biggest food importer and Ukraine is one of the continent’s top agricultural producers. This makes a post-Brexit free trade deal a potentially big win for both countries.

Trade and tariffs
Ukraine

UkraineAlert

Jan 22, 2020

Bipartisan US support for Ukraine at risk as Republicans echo Kremlin

By Steven Pifer

Republicans seeking to defend President Trump have taken to accusing Ukraine of meddling in the 2016 US presidential election. This echoes Kremlin talking points and puts longstanding bipartisan US support for Ukraine at risk, says former US Ambassador to Ukraine Steven Pifer.

Politics & Diplomacy
Ukraine

UkraineAlert

Jan 21, 2020

Ukraine’s top five 2020 reform priorities

By Ilona Sologoub

The Zelenskyy government has outlined an ambitious reform agenda for 2020 but will they live up to the expectations of an electorate hungry for change? These five key reform areas will give a good indication of the new government’s reformist credentials.

Corruption
Democratic Transitions

UkraineAlert

Jan 20, 2020

A frozen conflict may be Ukraine’s best option

By James Brooke

Many hoped President Zelenskyy’s April 2019 election could break the deadlock in peace talks with Russia. However, it now looks like the best Ukraine can expect is a transition from hot war to frozen conflict. That may not be such a bad outcome, argues James Brooke.

Conflict
Russia

UkraineAlert

Jan 20, 2020

Is Belarus Putin’s next target?

By Diane Francis

Vladimir Putin has been turning up the pressure on Belarus in recent months as Moscow seeks to move forward with plans to merge the country into a so-called Union State with Russia, but Minsk is proving evasive. Will Belarus be the scene of Putin’s next big foreign policy adventure?

Belarus
Politics & Diplomacy

UkraineAlert

Jan 16, 2020

Startup culture in a frontline city

By Diane Francis

1991 Mariupol is a new startup hub located a stone’s throw away from the frontlines of Ukraine’s undeclared war with Russia. Can tech innovation create opportunities for young Ukrainians facing an uncertain future due to Kremlin aggression?

Education
Technology & Innovation

spotlight

The views expressed in UkraineAlert are solely those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the views of the Atlantic Council, its staff, or its supporters.

The Eurasia Center’s mission is to enhance transatlantic cooperation in promoting stability, democratic values, and prosperity in Eurasia, from Eastern Europe and Turkey in the West to the Caucasus, Russia, and Central Asia in the East.

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UkraineAlert

Nov 24, 2020

Ukraine must study the economic foundations of Azerbaijan’s military success

By Vladislav Inozemtsev

Ukraine must learn from Azerbaijan and look to create a strong economy built on modern technologies and broad international cooperation before seeking to regain Russian-occupied regions of the country.

Conflict
Economy & Business

UkraineAlert

Nov 24, 2020

Strengthening ties between NATO, Ukraine and Georgia

By Alyona Getmanchuk, Irakli Porchkhidze, Sergiy Solodkyy

Ukraine and Georgia both feature among NATO's six Enhanced Opportunities Partners but the two former Soviet republics seek greater integration as they continue to push for eventual NATO membership.

NATO Partnerships
Non-Traditional Threats

UkraineAlert

Nov 22, 2020

How Ukraine’s Orange Revolution shaped twenty-first century geopolitics

By Peter Dickinson

Ukraine's 2004 Orange Revolution is often overlooked but it is worthy of more attention as one of the great geopolitical turning points of the early twenty-first century that set the stage for today's Cold War climate.

Conflict
Democratic Transitions

UkraineAlert

Nov 19, 2020

Taming Ukraine’s oligarchs

By Serhiy Verlanov

Serhiy Verlanov argues that until Ukraine has the political will to take on the country's all-powerful oligarchs, there is little chance of realizing the potential that has remained untapped since 1991.

Corruption
Democratic Transitions

UkraineAlert

Nov 19, 2020

Ukraine’s new privatization faces array of old obstacles

By Diane Francis

Ukraine's State Property Fund has revamped the country's privatization process and hopes to sell off hundreds of state-owned enterprises but faces opposition from those benefiting from corruption.

Corruption
Economy & Business

UkraineAlert

Nov 18, 2020

Mayoral races in Ukraine: City-by-city runoff preview

By Brian Mefford

Ukrainians will vote this weekend to elect mayors in a number of big cities across the country as the current local election cycle comes to a close with incumbents heavily favored to do well.

Elections
Ukraine

UkraineAlert

Nov 17, 2020

Ukraine can learn from Azerbaijan’s recent victory

By Taras Kuzio

Azerbaijan’s recent victory over Armenia offers some potentially important lessons for Ukraine, which is home to the most recent of the many little wars to erupt amid the ruins of the Soviet Empire.

Conflict
Security & Defense

UkraineAlert

Nov 16, 2020

Coronavirus crisis exposes Ukraine’s healthcare failures

By Brian Mefford

The secondary phase of Ukraine's landmark healthcare reforms is being neglected by the government as the country suffers from faltering leadership in the fight against the coronavirus crisis.

Coronavirus
Ukraine

UkraineAlert

Nov 14, 2020

What can Ukraine expect from a Biden presidency?

By Peter Dickinson

Joe Biden's US presidential election victory was welcomed by many Ukrainians who felt that bilateral ties had suffered during the Trump presidency despite continued bipartisan US support for Ukraine.

Conflict
Elections

UkraineAlert

Nov 13, 2020

Ukrainian local elections: City-by-city guide to this weekend’s runoff votes

By Brian Mefford

On November 15, Ukrainians will vote in mayoral runoff contests in six major cities in the second round of the country's local elections. Here is a rundown of what to expect from this Sunday's ballot.

Elections
Ukraine