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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

Jun 4, 2019

How Kolomoisky does business in the United States

By Anders Åslund

The PrivatBank case shows that dirty money is not necessarily concentrated in the big cities and in real estate but can penetrate the real economy.

Corruption Financial Regulation

UkraineAlert

Jun 4, 2019

Seven dangers of engaging with the occupied Donbas—and opportunities for the new Ukrainian president

By Petro Burkovskyi

Ukraine’s new president says he wants to end the Russian-backed war in the country’s east. However, it won’t be easy. There are at least seven dangers of engaging with the occupied territories of the Donbas. The first danger is that a class of highly educated and trained leaders is completely absent. All key positions, whether […]

Conflict Corruption

UkraineAlert

Jun 4, 2019

Cheap gas is too costly

By Oleh Havrylyshyn

On May 20, Volodymyr Zelenskiy was inaugurated Ukraine’s seventh president. In his inaugural address, he demonstrated a resoluteness that should put an end to the annoying journalistic cliché of a “comedian-president.” Taking such firm actions as dissolving parliament and requesting the resignations of key officials within minutes of taking office in front of the very […]

Central Europe Energy Markets & Governance

UkraineAlert

Jun 4, 2019

Zelenskyy’s golden opportunity to challenge the oligarchs and bring real news to Ukraine’s airwaves

By Janek Lasocki

Over the past five years, the foundations have been laid for a quality public service broadcaster. If successful, it could make a profound difference to public debate in Ukraine.

Democratic Transitions Elections

UkraineAlert

Jun 3, 2019

The right man for the right time  

By Andy Hunder

“God probably has a great sense of humor,” reckons Borys Gudziak, president of the Ukrainian Catholic University (UCU) in Lviv. The US-born archbishop transformed what was designed to be the Soviet communist party’s atheist ideology center in western Ukraine into a thriving catholic university. The irony of this transformation is not lost on him. Only […]

Civil Society Nationalism

UkraineAlert

May 31, 2019

What Ukraine’s new president cannot afford to overlook

By Bohdan Nahaylo

President Volodymyr Zelenskiy’s resounding victory in April underscored Ukrainians’ desire for change. Proclaiming his commitment to overhauling the entire system, the new president has announced five short-term priorities: change the electoral law, restore criminal liability for unlawful enrichment, and remove the parliamentary immunity of deputies, as well as reform the legal system and eradicate corruption. […]

Conflict Human Rights

UkraineAlert

May 30, 2019

A tale of two bridges

By Andrii Osadchuk

On May 25, Kyiv Mayor Vitaly Klitschko and his brother jumped up and down on a smart, new glass bridge in Kyiv, Ukraine. The video went viral and thousands crowded the pedestrian bridge that connects Volodymyr Hill with Khreschatyk Park. Destined to become one of the most popular attractions in the city as a result […]

Corruption Political Reform

UkraineAlert

May 29, 2019

Will Zelenskiy put Ukraine’s interests first?

By Diane Francis

Americans and Europeans became worried about Kolomoisky’s power after Zelenskiy appointed the oligarch’s long-time lawyer, Andriy Bohdan, to head the government’s administration.

Corruption Inclusive Growth

UkraineAlert

May 28, 2019

Zelenskiy sows confusion and another chance for change

By Oksana Bedratenko

Volodymyr Zelenskiy may be popular among Ukrainians, but he is getting the cold shoulder from its political elite. Ukraine’s new president has few friends in the parliament and government. Within days of taking office, Zelenskiy suffered a defeat in the Rada as the parliament has not considered his bill for a new electoral law. The […]

Fiscal and Structural Reform International Financial Institutions

UkraineAlert

May 28, 2019

How to create the impossible in Ukraine

By Anatoly Motkin

Volodymyr Zelenskiy won in a landslide. Ukrainian voters blamed incumbent Petro Poroshenko for two problems: the lack of significant success in combating corruption, and insufficient economic growth in the poorest country in Europe. These two problems have a common solution, which is transitioning Ukraine from a post-Soviet industrial economy to a knowledge economy. Perhaps the main difference between Zelenskiy and his predecessors is that he is the product of a new, creative economy. Zelenskiy, who […]

Entrepreneurship Inclusive Growth

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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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UkraineAlert

Feb 20, 2021

Ukraine can play key role in Europe’s energy Green Deal

By Aura Sabadus

The International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA), World Bank, and EU have all argued that Ukraine could become a world leader in renewable production.

Energy Transitions Geopolitics & Energy Security

UkraineAlert

Feb 18, 2021

Alexei Navalny is a Russian nationalist but he may still be good news for Ukraine

By Andreas Umland

Many Ukrainians remain skeptical of jailed Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny due to his Russian nationalist past, but Navalny's impact on Russian politics may eventually prove beneficial for Ukraine.

Conflict Democratic Transitions

UkraineAlert

Feb 18, 2021

Ukraine adopts new and improved referendum law

By Alisa Shushkovska and Harald Jepsen

Ukraine's recently adopted National Referendum Law fulfills an election promise made by President Zelenskyy to give the people of Ukraine greater and more direct influence over national policies.

Democratic Transitions Elections

UkraineAlert

Feb 16, 2021

Putin the Poisoner

By Peter Dickinson

Putin the Poisoner: Russian President Vladimir Putin has adopted a poisonous approach to international politics in a bid to defend his own authoritarian regime by dividing, discrediting, and destabilizing the democratic world.

Disinformation European Union

UkraineAlert

Feb 16, 2021

Why is Ukraine still not in NATO?

By Dmytro Kuleba

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said recently that he'd like to ask US President Joe Biden, "Why is Ukraine still not in NATO?" Ukraine's Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba agrees that this question has never been more pertinent.

Conflict NATO

UkraineAlert

Feb 16, 2021

IMF puts Ukraine on pause over corruption concerns

By Anders Åslund

A recent IMF mission to Ukraine ended without reaching any decision on a new tranche. IMF concerns over Ukraine's anti-corruption efforts will increase the pressure on President Zelenskyy.

Corruption International Financial Institutions

UkraineAlert

Feb 11, 2021

Rising EU-Russia tensions are good news for Ukraine

By Oleksiy Goncharenko

European foreign policy chief Josep Borrell's disastrous recent visit to Moscow has sparked a crisis in Russia-EU relations that could end up being to Ukraine's advantage.

Conflict European Union

UkraineAlert

Feb 10, 2021

Covid crisis accelerates Ukraine’s digital revolution

By Mykhailo Fedorov

The unique challenges of the Covid crisis have helped to accelerate Ukraine's digital revolution, says the country's Minister of Digital Transformation Mykhailo Fedorov.

Coronavirus Digital Policy

UkraineAlert

Feb 9, 2021

Kremlin TV chief: Russia must annex east Ukraine

By Alvydas Medalinskas

Kremlin TV chief Margarita Simonyan called on Russia to annex eastern Ukraine's Donbas region during a recent high-profile forum that signaled an escalation in Moscow's seven-year hybrid war against Ukraine.

Conflict Disinformation

UkraineAlert

Feb 9, 2021

Ukraine signs vaccine deal but delays highlight urgent need for healthcare reform

By Pavlo Kovtoniuk

Ukraine has finally secured the country's first sizable COVID-19 vaccine contract, but the fact that this depended on the role of Britain's Crown Agents has underlined Ukraine's procurement dysfunction.

Coronavirus Corruption