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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 10, 2017

Negotiating with Russia: A Scenario for Success

By Stephen Blank

Despite the flood of post-election pundits advising President-elect Donald Trump on how to approach Russia, few have offered any understanding of Moscow’s aims. But Russian President Vladimir Putin’s government has not hidden what it wants. It seeks an end to sanctions, recognition of Crimea as part of Russia, demilitarization of NATO in the Baltic and […]

Russia Ukraine

UkraineAlert

Jan 9, 2017

Walk Down My Block in Kyiv and Take Ukraine’s Economic Pulse

By James Brooke

When assessing Ukraine, armchair economists love the macro perspective: sweeping views based on large data sets. Let’s look at the micro. Despite the fresh snow, let’s walk my 150-meter long block on Rohnidynska Street and take the pulse of Ukraine’s economy. One year after I signed my apartment lease, six original businesses survive on my […]

Ukraine

UkraineAlert

Jan 9, 2017

Onyshchenko’s Charges against Poroshenko Are Thin, but Case Unlikely to Fade

By John E. Herbst

Over the past six months, the case of Oleksandr Onyshchenko has gripped Ukraine. It is an important case, touching on the country’s hopes and disappointments concerning the scourge of corruption. The case burst on the political scene in the spring, when the National Anti-Corruption Bureau (NABU) brought charges against Onyshchenko, a businessman and Rada member. […]

Ukraine

UkraineAlert

Jan 3, 2017

Is Russia Planning a Major Land War against Ukraine?

By Alexander J. Motyl

Recent evidence suggest that Russia may be planning a major land war against Ukraine. While Russian President Vladimir Putin talks peace, several leading Russian analysts have explicitly endorsed the “Syrian variant” with respect to Ukraine. Are they speaking for themselves or are they acting on behalf of the regime, sending out trial balloons in order […]

Russia Ukraine

UkraineAlert

Jan 3, 2017

How to End the War in Ukraine in 2017

By Valentyn Nalyvaichenko

Victor Pinchuk’s recent opinion piece in the Wall Street Journal, “Ukraine Must Make Painful Compromises for Peace with Russia,” does not take into account that any plan for Ukraine’s temporarily occupied territories must first consider the will of the people living in those territories and seek their betterment. During a recent trip to Washington, DC, […]

Russia Ukraine

UkraineAlert

Jan 3, 2017

2017 Should Be the Year Ukraine’s Economy Takes Off

By Anders Åslund

Three years after the Revolution of Dignity, the Ukrainian economy has stabilized and is ready for growth. Will the growth be fast or slow? Dangers lie ahead, but opportunities prevail. Success is easily taken for granted, so it is worth recalling what Ukraine has accomplished in the past three years.

Russia Ukraine

UkraineAlert

Dec 21, 2016

Why I’m Optimistic about Ukraine’s Reforms in 2017

By Oksana Bedratenko

Following decades of neglect, there is real progress in Ukraine’s healthcare sector. Thanks to the efforts of reformers in the Ministry of Health, pressure from civil society, and the support of international donors, the sector is seeing reduced corruption and clear prospects for reform. The healthcare sector had been a magnet for large-scale corruption for […]

Ukraine

UkraineAlert

Dec 20, 2016

How the West Can Beat Back the Kremlin

By Jakub Janda

The Kremlin and its allies have started to harvest the fruits of the seeds they have been planting for years. Moscow occupies territories of Georgia, Moldova, and Ukraine; actively wages war on another part of Ukrainian soil; and is now playing a game of political subversion in several Western states. In the past few years, […]

Cybersecurity France

UkraineAlert

Dec 20, 2016

Russia’s War on the West Is Real. Why Aren’t We Fighting Back?

By Stephen Blank

Russia’s systematic attack on America’s political system dominates the headlines. Nobody besides President-elect Donald Trump denies that Russia attacked the US political system and electoral institutions. Moreover, Russia did so with impunity and, according to the Central Intelligence Agency and the White House, it did so under Russian President Vladimir Putin’s direct guidance to discredit […]

Cybersecurity Elections

UkraineAlert

Dec 19, 2016

Just Outsource It: How to Rebuild Eastern Ukraine

By Josh Cohen

While Russia’s hybrid war in the Donbas drags on, Ukraine is turning its attention to improving the lives of the region’s people. A key part of this effort is rebuilding the infrastructure in those areas that remain under Kyiv’s control. Kyiv has allocated $150 million to begin rebuilding schools and hospitals, but this is a […]

Russia Ukraine

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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

Oct 24, 2020

Ukraine’s gas market reforms can fuel change across Eastern Europe

By Aura Sabadus

Ukraine’s post-2014 energy sector experience is both a success story and a role model. It is also proving increasingly persuasive in a neighborhood where energy sector reform is long overdue.

Eastern Europe Energy Markets & Governance

UkraineAlert

Oct 22, 2020

US expands sanctions against Putin’s pipeline

By Diane Francis

US officials have this week announced more constraints on the controversial Nord Stream 2 pipeline project and put firms still involved on notice that they have 30 days to wind down operations.

European Union Geopolitics & Energy Security

UkraineAlert

Oct 22, 2020

City-by-city guide to Ukraine’s local elections

By Brian Mefford

Ukrainians will vote in local elections on October 25. Brian Mefford offers a city-by-city guide to the mayoral races across the country and predicts who is likely to win in each of Ukraine's major cities.

Elections Ukraine

UkraineAlert

Oct 21, 2020

Russian revival in Ukraine: Pro-Kremlin parties tipped to advance in local elections

By Mykola Vorobiov

Ukrainians vote in local elections this weekend. With President Zelenskyy’s ratings in decline, many see the ballot as an opportunity for Ukraine’s pro-Russian forces to regain the political initiative.

Elections Ukraine

UkraineAlert

Oct 20, 2020

Battle for borshch: Ukraine lays claim to soup dish amid identity war with Russia

By Mark Raczkiewycz

Popular soup dish borshch has recently emerged as the latest battleground in Ukraine’s struggle to assert an independent national identity and shake off centuries of Russian imperial domination.

Conflict Disinformation

UkraineAlert

Oct 20, 2020

Time for Europe to rethink the Trans-Balkan pipeline

By Sergey Makagon

A strategic asset with a transit capacity of 27 bcm per year, the Trans-Balkan gas corridor can and should be a guarantee of energy security for Southeastern Europe. It is time for the EU to rethink its approach.

European Union Geopolitics & Energy Security

UkraineAlert

Oct 17, 2020

NBU Governor: Ukraine’s robust banking sector is poised for privatizations

By Kyrylo Shevchenko

The Ukrainian banking sector has passed the coronavirus test and proven that it has never been in more robust shape. This bodes well for a series of planned privatizations of state-owned banks.

Coronavirus Economy & Business

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