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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 27, 2025

Sanctions will remain an essential tool to deter future Russian aggression  

By Ilona Khmeleva 

Ukraine needs security guarantees to prevent a renewal of Russia’s invasion following any peace deal, but the threat of severe sanctions can also help deter the Kremlin from further military aggression, writes Ilona Khmeleva.

Conflict Economic Sanctions

UkraineAlert

Mar 26, 2025

If Trump wants peace in Ukraine, he must increase the pressure on Putin

By Doug Klain

Weeks after Ukraine backed a US proposal for an unconditional ceasefire, Russia continues to stall and push for further concessions. If Trump wants to secure peace, he must increase the pressure on Putin, writes Doug Klain.

Conflict Defense Technologies

UkraineAlert

Mar 25, 2025

Ukraine’s growing military strength is an underrated factor in peace talks

By Serhii Kuzan

Any discussion on the future course of the war against Russia and the terms of any peace deal must take into account the fact that Ukraine is a now major military power in its own right, writes Serhii Kuzan.

Conflict Defense Industry

UkraineAlert

Mar 20, 2025

Putin is ruthlessly erasing Ukrainian identity in Russian-occupied Ukraine

By Peter Dickinson

Kremlin dictator Vladimir Putin is pursuing policies in Russian-occupied Ukraine that almost certainly meet the definition of ethnic cleansing and may qualify as genocide, writes Peter Dickinson.

Civil Society Conflict

UkraineAlert

Mar 20, 2025

Silencing Voice of America will only strengthen autocrats around the world

By Mercedes Sapuppo

United States President Donald Trump’s decision to shut down US-funded media outlets including Voice of America will boost authoritarian regimes around the world, writes Mercedes Sapuppo.

Democratic Transitions Disinformation

UkraineAlert

Mar 20, 2025

Trump’s energy sector ceasefire could be good news for Putin’s war machine

By David Kirichenko 

Russian dictator Vladimir Putin has backed US President Donald Trump’s proposal for a partial ceasefire on energy sector attacks, but this may be a strategic step rather than an indication of his readiness to end the invasion of Ukraine, writes David Kirichenko.

Conflict Drones

UkraineAlert

Mar 18, 2025

Putin backs Trump’s partial ceasefire but insists Ukraine must be disarmed

By Peter Dickinson

Vladimir Putin has backed Donald Trump’s call for a partial ceasefire but his insistence on disarming Ukraine reveals his continued determination to complete the conquest of the country, writes Peter Dickinson.

Conflict Disinformation

UkraineAlert

Mar 18, 2025

Britain takes the lead as Europe seeks to boost support for Ukraine

By Alina Hrytsenko

With the future of US support for Ukraine in doubt, Britain is leading European efforts to bolster the Ukrainian war effort and deny Putin an historic victory that would place the whole of Europe in peril, writes Alina Hrytsenko.

Conflict Defense Industry

UkraineAlert

Mar 13, 2025

Ukraine’s innovative defense tech sector is the country’s trump card

By David Kirichenko

From the Black Sea to deep inside Russia, Ukraine’s innovative and rapidly expanding defense tech sector is proving to be the country’s secret weapon as it fights for survival against one of the world’s strongest military superpowers, writes David Kirichenko.

Conflict Defense Industry

UkraineAlert

Mar 13, 2025

Vladimir Putin does not want peace. He wants to subjugate Ukraine.

By Mykola Bielieskov

Russian President Vladimir Putin’s evasive response to US President Donald Trump’s ceasefire proposal underlines his commitment to continue with an invasion that aims to extinguish Ukraine as a state and nation, writes Mykola Bielieskov.

Conflict Disinformation

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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.

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Content

UkraineAlert

Jan 4, 2020

Can frontline disengagements help Ukraine secure a lasting ceasefire with Putin?

By Vera Zimmerman

The path to peace in eastern Ukraine remains unclear, but localized troop withdrawals in recent months have led to renewed hopes of a reduction in the bloodshed. Can further disengegement pave the way for a lasting ceasefire?

Conflict Peacekeeping and Peacebuilding

UkraineAlert

Jan 2, 2020

Russia set to escalate fight against Ukrainian Orthodox independence in 2020

By Khrystyna Karelska and Andreas Umland

Moscow's refusal to accept the January 2019 decision to grant Ukraine Orthodox independence has split the entire Orthodox world. The schism is likely to worsen in 2020 as Russia fights to prevent the loss of a crucial foothold within Ukrainian society.

Civil Society Russia

UkraineAlert

Jan 2, 2020

Why we must talk to Russia

By Samuel Charap and Jeremy Shapiro

Right to reply: the Atlantic Council’s UkraineAlert recent published an article by Anders Aslund critical of the October 2019 RAND report “A Consensus Proposal for a Revised Regional Order in Post-Soviet Europe and Eurasia”. This article is a response to Aslund from two of the report’s authors.

Conflict Politics & Diplomacy

UkraineAlert

Dec 26, 2019

Russia-Ukraine War: Is peace possible in 2020?

By Peter Dickinson

The Russia-Ukraine War enters its seventh year in 2020 with no sign of a compromise that could end the conflict. Could recent efforts to restart the peace process produce results during the coming twelve months?

Conflict Politics & Diplomacy

UkraineAlert

Dec 24, 2019

Ukraine’s government must not undermine growing business optimism in 2020

By Andy Hunder

88% of Ukraine's American Chamber of Commerce member companies reported increased revenues in 2019. However, concerns remain that the Ukrainian authorities could yet spoil this positive picture during the coming year.

Corruption Economy & Business

UkraineAlert

Dec 22, 2019

Trump blocks Putin’s pipeline with US sanctions

By Diane Francis

Only weeks away from completion, new US sanctions force Nord Stream 2 contractor to down tools, placing the pipeline's future in jeopardy.

Geopolitics & Energy Security Oil and Gas

UkraineAlert

Dec 19, 2019

Putin’s Russia is stagnating but there will be no “Moscow Maidan”

By Dennis Soltys

The Russian economy is facing stagnation and domestic discontent is on the rise, but the strengths of Putin's authoritarian system mean Ukrainians should not expect a repeat of their own Maidan movement in Moscow anytime soon.

Democratic Transitions Political Reform

UkraineAlert

Dec 19, 2019

Naftogaz CEO Andriy Kobolyev: “The likelihood of Russia helping us is zero”

By Diane Francis

Andriy Kobolyev took over the reins of Ukraine’s energy giant Naftogaz during the country's darkest hour in March 2014. Despite huge progress, he continues to face political opposition at home and an array of international challenges courtesy of the Kremlin.

European Union Geopolitics & Energy Security

UkraineAlert

Dec 19, 2019

Putin’s imperial ambitions mean Ukraine must learn to live with frozen conflict

By Taras Kuzio

Ukraine's President Zelenskyy says he will make painful concessions to achieve peace with Russia, but Putin's vision of Ukraine as part of Russia's historic heartlands means there is little room for compromise.

Conflict Geopolitics & Energy Security

UkraineAlert

Dec 17, 2019

Paris impasse: Time for Zelenskyy to get real about Russia

By Oleksiy Goncharenko

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy's long-awaited first meeting with Vladimir Putin failed to provide a breakthrough towards peace, leading to calls for more realism in relations with Russia.

Conflict Peacekeeping and Peacebuilding