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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

Mar 4, 2021

Zelenskyy aims to end Ukraine’s oligarch era

By Iuliia Mendel

As events in recent weeks have shown, President Zelenskyy is prepared to challenge the power of Ukraine’s oligarchs everywhere from the energy and banking sectors to politics and the media.

Corruption
Democratic Transitions

UkraineAlert

Mar 4, 2021

Ukraine can feed the world

By Roman Leshchenko

The launch of an agricultural land market will leave Ukraine well placed to assume an ever-greater role in global food security, says Ukraine’s Minister of Agrarian Policy Roman Leshchenko.

Economy & Business
Ukraine

UkraineAlert

Mar 3, 2021

Difficult neighbors: How the Belarus crisis has strained ties between Minsk and Kyiv

By Vladislav Davidzon

The democratic awakening that has taken place in Belarus since August 2020 has fractured and realigned the economic, military, diplomatic, and security relationship between Minsk and Kyiv.

Belarus
Democratic Transitions

UkraineAlert

Mar 2, 2021

Ukrainian parliament finally moves to end multi-voting

By Peter Dickinson

Ukraine scored a small but significant victory in the battle against political corruption on March 2 with the launch of a new voting system in the country’s parliament that should put an end to the practice of MPs voting on behalf of absent colleagues.

Corruption
Democratic Transitions

UkraineAlert

Mar 1, 2021

Getting Ukraine’s security service reform right

By Oleksandra Ustinova and Steven Pifer

Ukrainian MPs are currently preparing a long-awaited bill to reform the country’s security service. The initiative is encouraging but numerous measures are still required to distance Ukraine from the KGB past.

Democratic Transitions
Intelligence

UkraineAlert

Feb 26, 2021

Why Ukraine sanctioned Putin’s ally Medvedchuk

By Andriy Yermak

Ukraine has introduced a number of measures during February 2021 to restrict the influence of Vladimir Putin’s closest Ukrainian ally, Viktor Medvedchuk.

Conflict
Disinformation

UkraineAlert

Feb 25, 2021

Russia’s collective punishment of the Crimean Tatars is a war crime

By Wayne Jordash and Anna Mykytenko

As Ukraine seeks international justice over the Russian seizure and occupation of Crimea, Kyiv should consider holding the Kremlin to account for the collective punishment of the Crimean Tatars.

Conflict
Human Rights

UkraineAlert

Feb 25, 2021

Biden must freeze Putin’s pipeline and prevent this “bad deal for Europe”

By Benjamin Schmitt

By taking steps to block the Nord Stream 2 pipeline, US President Joe Biden has a real opportunity to build a new transatlantic security consensus while revitalizing the US-German relationship.

Geopolitics & Energy Security
Germany

UkraineAlert

Feb 25, 2021

Ukrainians protest “political justice” over activist jailing

By Solomiia Bobrovska

The jailing of a high-profile Ukrainian activist has sparked protests over fears that his conviction represents politicized justice and a victory for pro-Kremlin forces within the Ukrainian establishment.

Civil Society
Conflict

UkraineAlert

Feb 23, 2021

Rethinking Yushchenko

By Brian Mefford

Ukraine’s third president, Viktor Yushchenko, came to power on a tide of history but left office in humbling circumstances after a single term. Is it now time to reevaluate the transformative effect of his presidency?

Democratic Transitions
Ukraine

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UkraineAlert

Oct 14, 2020

Political pressure threatens Ukraine’s gas sector reforms

By Aura Sabadus

The early October resignation of American citizen Amos Hochstein from the Naftogaz supervisory board is sparking alarm over the future direction of the state-owned Ukrainian energy sector giant.

Energy Markets & Governance
Energy Transitions

UkraineAlert

Oct 13, 2020

Ukraine’s pro-Russian forces plotting winter of discontent

By Bohdan Nahaylo

With President Zelenskyy's party set to do badly in Ukraine's October 25 local elections, the country's oligarchic and pro-Russian forces are hoping to regain the political momentum with a winter of discontent.

Democratic Transitions
Elections

UkraineAlert

Oct 13, 2020

Britain and Ukraine unveil new strategic partnership

By Bate C Toms

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy’s recent state visit to the UK was the most consequential foreign relations act of his presidency to date and saw the unveiling of a new strategic partnership.

Cybersecurity
Maritime Security

UkraineAlert

Oct 13, 2020

Putin’s pipeline is a strategic weapon. It must be stopped

By Members of the Ukrainian parliament

As the struggle over the Kremlin's Nord Stream 2 pipeline continues, a group of Ukrainian MPs has issued a joint letter highlighting the international security threat posed by the strategic energy project.

European Union
Geopolitics & Energy Security

UkraineAlert

Oct 12, 2020

UK and Ukraine sign historic post-Brexit free trade deal

By Vasyl Myroshnychenko

The jury is still out on the economic impact of Brexit, but Ukraine emerged in early October as an unlikely early beneficiary of Britain’s EU exit by signing a landmark partnership agreement including free trade.

Economy & Business
Trade and tariffs

UkraineAlert

Oct 12, 2020

Russo-Ukrainian War: Time for Zelenskyy to turn from populism to pragmatism

By Taras Kuzio

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy won election last year with populist promises of peace with Russia, but the realities of ongoing Kremlin aggression mean a more pragmatic approach is now necessary.

Conflict
Peacekeeping and Peacebuilding

UkraineAlert

Oct 8, 2020

Ukraine’s reforms in doubt as political climate changes

By Anders Åslund

A recent reprimand and public expression of no confidence in two key reformers at the National Bank of Ukraine highlights the changing political climate in the country as post-2014 reforms face reversal.

Democratic Transitions
Political Reform

UkraineAlert

Oct 8, 2020

Zelenskyy: Ukraine wants a step-by-step plan towards future EU membership

By Volodymyr Zelenskyy

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy offers a positive assessment of the 2020 EU-Ukraine Summit in Brussels and calls for the creation of a step-by-step plan towards Ukraine's future EU membership.

Democratic Transitions
Economy & Business

UkraineAlert

Oct 5, 2020

The case for sanctioning Ukraine’s anti-Western MPs

By Daria Kaleniuk

Many of Ukraine's most prominent anti-Western figures also have considerable business interests in the West. Anti-corruption activists accuse them of hypocrisy and say sanctions are justified.

Corruption
Non-Traditional Threats

UkraineAlert

Oct 1, 2020

Battle on the home front: Care for Ukraine’s veterans

By Lauren Van Metre

The situation faced by veterans in today’s Ukraine is not just a human-interest story. The reintegration of veterans must be a priority for Ukraine’s government, its allies, and its NATO partners.

Conflict
Human Rights