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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 1, 2021

Ending Ukraine’s memory wars

By Peter Pomerantsev, Nataliya Gumenyuk, Maria Montague

Since 1991, Russia has sought to fuel memory wars as a way of preventing Ukraine from consolidating its statehood. However, recent research indicates that history can unite Ukrainians as well as dividing them.

Democratic Transitions Disinformation

UkraineAlert

Jun 1, 2021

Biden-Putin summit: Ukraine should not expect miracles

By Oleksiy Goncharenko

Ukraine is set to be high on the agenda when US President Joe Biden meets Russia's Vladimir Putin on June 16. However, few expect any breakthroughs towards ending the seven-year Russo-Ukrainian War.

Conflict Politics & Diplomacy

BelarusAlert

May 27, 2021

Putin sides with Belarus dictator over air piracy as Ukraine rejects Minsk talks

By Peter Dickinson

Former Ukrainian president Leonid Kravchuk has confirmed that Ukraine will seek to move peace talks with Russia away from Minsk as the international fallout from Belarus dictator Alyaksandr Lukashenka’s recent act of air piracy continued to make waves throughout the region.

Belarus International Norms

UkraineAlert

May 27, 2021

Decarbonization in Ukraine

By Nataliya Katser-Buchkovska

More and more countries are pledging to become carbon neutral. This is creating opportunities for Ukraine to diversify its energy sources while becoming increasingly integrated with the country’s European neighbors.

Energy Transitions Geopolitics & Energy Security

UkraineAlert

May 27, 2021

Russian cyber threat: US can learn from Ukraine

By Mark Temnycky

The US has recently been hit by a number of cyberattacks linked to Russia. These incidents echoed similar attacks carried out against Ukraine since the outbreak of hostilities with Russia in 2014.

Cybersecurity Digital Policy

UkraineAlert

May 25, 2021

US diplomatic signals go unheard in Ukraine

By Oleksiy Honcharuk

President Zelenskyy’s recent press conference marking his second year in office reinforced the impression that Kyiv is still struggling to interpret the diplomatic signals it is receiving from Washington.

Corruption Democratic Transitions

UkraineAlert

May 20, 2021

Putin’s passport ploy in Ukraine may pave way for Russia’s next annexation

By Peter Dickinson

As Vladimir Putin’s hybrid war against Ukraine grinds into its eighth year, Russian passports are emerging as Moscow’s most effective weapon in its struggle to limit Ukrainian sovereignty.

Conflict Non-Traditional Threats

UkraineAlert

May 20, 2021

Biden softens sanctions on Putin’s pipeline

By Diane Francis

The Biden administration has this week announced a mixed bag of sanctions and waivers concerning the Nord Stream 2 pipeline, leaving opponents of Putin’s pet energy project confused and alarmed.

Geopolitics & Energy Security Germany

UkraineAlert

May 18, 2021

President Zelenskyy: Deoligarchization is the key to Ukraine’s future success

By Volodymyr Zelenskyy

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy says the recent measures imposed against Viktor Medvedchuk are just the beginning and argues that deoligarchization holds the key to Ukraine's future success.

Corruption Democratic Transitions

UkraineAlert

May 18, 2021

Ukraine’s EU Association Agreement obliges Kyiv to pursue rule of law reforms

By Willem Aldershoff

Ukraine's landmark 2014 EU Association Agreement contains a number of often overlooked commitments that oblige Kyiv to remain firmly on the path towards reform and the rule of law.

Corruption European Union

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UkraineAlert

Mar 2, 2020

US should revive Lend-Lease to contain Russia

By Stephen Blank

The Western world has repeatedly been caught out by each new phase of Vladimir Putin's hybrid war. Could a new Lend-Lease program for Central and Eastern Europe allow the West to regain the initiative from the Kremlin?

Central Europe Conflict

UkraineAlert

Feb 27, 2020

The lesson of Crimea: Appeasement never works

By Oleksiy Goncharenko

The international community's weak response to Vladimir Putin's 2014 seizure of Crimea was a watershed moment for global security but attempts to appease Russia continue despite six subsequent years of hybrid warfare.

Conflict Non-Traditional Threats

UkraineAlert

Feb 26, 2020

Is Zelenskyy preparing for a thaw in Russia-Ukraine ties?

By Diane Francis

The appointment of Andriy Yermak as President Zelenskyy's new chief of staff has sparked debate over Yermak's ties to Moscow and links to pro-Russian Ukrainian politicians. Is Zelenskyy preparing for a thaw in ties with the Kremlin?

Conflict Peacekeeping and Peacebuilding

UkraineAlert

Feb 26, 2020

Ten steps to boost Ukraine’s economic growth in 2020

By Andy Hunder

Ukraine has achieved macroeconomic stability. It is now time to demonstrate accelerated growth. This can only be achieved by boosting Foreign Direct Investment. Andy Hunder outlines 10 steps towards achieve this goal.

Economy & Business Ukraine

UkraineAlert

Feb 24, 2020

Why Azov should not be designated a foreign terrorist organization

By Anton Shekhovtsov

The authors of a recent New York Times op-ed produce no clear proof of ongoing links between American right-wing terrorists and a unit within Ukraine’s Interior Ministry.

Civil Society Conflict

UkraineAlert

Feb 20, 2020

Russia loses leverage as Ukrainian exports go global

By Anders Åslund

Russia was once Ukraine's all-dominant trading partner but six years of undeclared war between the two countries has dramatically reduced bilateral trade while forcing Ukrainian exporters to broaden their horizons.

Russia Trade and tariffs

UkraineAlert

Feb 19, 2020

The case for high state salaries in Europe’s poorest country

By Peter Dickinson

As the top manager of a flagship state-owned Ukrainian company, Ukrposhta CEO Igor Smelyansky has been publicly vilified for his high salary - but he argues that competitive incomes are the only way to beat institutionalized corruption.

Corruption Populism

UkraineAlert

Feb 18, 2020

How Kyiv views the 12 step plan

By ROK Movement Against Capitulation / (Рух Опору Капітуляції)

Russia must take political and material responsibility for the consequences for the crime it committed: aggression and the occupation of the Ukrainian territory.

Conflict Crisis Management

UkraineAlert

Feb 18, 2020

Unsolved Maidan massacre casts shadow over Ukraine

By Bohdan Nahaylo

As Ukraine marks the sixth anniversary of the Maidan massacre the country is still waiting for justice. Could something akin to the kind of truth and reconciliation commissions that have proven effective in other countries also work in Ukraine?

Democratic Transitions Peacekeeping and Peacebuilding

UkraineAlert

Feb 18, 2020

Russian escalation dampens hopes for peace in Ukraine

By Peter Dickinson

Russian hybrid forces in eastern Ukraine launched a series of artillery bombardments and localized advances early on February 18. What does this latest escalation mean for the already faint hopes of an end to the six-year conflict?

Conflict Russia