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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.

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Latest analysis

UkraineAlert

Dec 12, 2018

Hunger for Change in Ukraine, but Not Much on the Menu

By Ruslan Minich

On billboards throughout Ukraine is the phrase, “The president is the servant of the people.” But is this the teaser for a TV series with the same title—or a serious political campaign for its star, who may or may not be running for president? On the most viewed series in Ukraine, Servant of the People, […]

Ukraine

UkraineAlert

Dec 12, 2018

Why Pro-Russian Candidates Won’t Win Ukraine’s 2019 Elections

By Taras Kuzio

Those who believe Ukraine has not fundamentally changed since the launch of Russia’s military aggression are dead wrong. In fact, the 2019 elections will clearly illustrate that pro-Russian candidates have not only lost significant support, they will barely win any national offices. Pro-Russian candidates are hampered from achieving success in the 2019 parliamentary and presidential […]

Russia Ukraine

UkraineAlert

Dec 11, 2018

How to Weaken Putin’s Hand (The Answer Isn’t What You Think)

By Andreas Umland

Ukraine is making international headlines again. Conflict in the Black Sea, war in eastern Ukraine, new anti-corruption institutions, and the imminent independence of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church have been widely reported and hotly discussed. But one important topic has gone largely unnoticed in the West—Ukraine’s ongoing local governance reform. The transformation of Ukraine’s administrative structure […]

Russia Ukraine

UkraineAlert

Dec 11, 2018

Ukraine’s Maidan Opposition Is Finally Getting Organized, but Will It Make Any Difference?

By Melinda Haring

On December 7, about two hundred fifty Ukrainians gathered in Kyiv for the launch of a new social movement that looks set to become Ukraine’s first liberal political party. People Matter is basing its platform on minimizing the role of government in the economy and reorienting the entire state around the concept of service; in American […]

Ukraine

UkraineAlert

Dec 3, 2018

Anti-Corruption Reformer Ready for Round Two

By Viola Gienger

Olena Tregub spent more than two years working around the clock to help revitalize her moribund government ministry in Ukraine. As director of international aid coordination for the Ministry of Economic Development and Trade, her mission was to bring some transparency to $12 billion of foreign assistance pouring into the country after 2014. Tracking assistance, […]

UkraineAlert

Dec 1, 2018

From the Azov Sea to Washington DC: How Russophobia Became Russia’s Leading Export

By Peter Dickinson

Vladimir Putin had a simple explanation for the wave of international condemnation that engulfed Moscow in the wake of Russia’s November 25 Black Sea attack on the Ukrainian Navy. According to the Kremlin leader, it was all Ukraine’s doing. “Kyiv is actively stirring up anti-Russian sentiment,” he lamented. “That’s all they have—and it works.” This […]

Russia Ukraine

UkraineAlert

Nov 30, 2018

How the West Got Martial Law in Ukraine Totally Wrong

By John E. Herbst

The past several days have been historic ones in Ukraine’s development as a sovereign and democratic nation. Moscow’s unprovoked attack on and seizure of three Ukrainian ships in the Black Sea on November 25 began this process. This attack represents a serious escalation of Kremlin aggression because it was done openly by regular Russian military […]

Russia Ukraine

UkraineAlert

Nov 30, 2018

What Would a Tymoshenko Presidency Mean?

By Andreas Umland

Many Western observers would like to see a change in Ukrainian leadership following the 2019 presidential and parliamentary elections. Some would prefer to see a young MP from parliament’s Euro-Optimists group become president; others hope the country’s next leader will come from one of Ukraine’s new parties, such as Democratic Alliance or Power of the […]

Russia Ukraine

UkraineAlert

Nov 29, 2018

How to Put Putin in His Place

By Michael Carpenter

Russia’s act of aggression against Ukrainian ships in the Black Sea on Sunday should not be dismissed as an isolated incident in its four-and-a-half year old war against Ukraine. This pre-meditated attack is part of a broader effort by Moscow to take full control of the Kerch Strait—a strategic chokepoint that connects Russia to Crimea […]

NATO Russia

UkraineAlert

Nov 29, 2018

How Ukraine Can Begin to Catch Up with the EU

By Ivan Miklos and Pavlo Kukhta

Two major risks are clouding Ukraine’s economy and holding back investment and economic growth. One of them is politics. In 2019, the country will hold both presidential and parliamentary elections, in the spring and autumn, respectively. These will be the second elections since the 2014 revolution, and their outcomes will determine whether the country continues […]

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

Dec 4, 2019

The shadow of Munich hangs over Russia-Ukraine Paris peace talks

By Bohdan Nahaylo

Ukraine's President Zelenskyy will meet Russian leader Vladimir Putin face-to-face for the first time next week at Paris peace talks hosted by French President Emmanuel Macron. With France publicly promoting the need for improved ties with the Kremlin, many fear Ukraine could face pressure to make dangerous concessions.

Conflict Crisis Management

UkraineAlert

Dec 4, 2019

Profit over principle: Apple appeases the Kremlin

By Diane Francis

Apple has changed the labelling on its apps for Russian users and now shows Ukraine's occupied Crimean peninsula as Russian territory. This follows a similar move by Google earlier in 2019. By bowing to the Kremlin's demands, do global tech giants risk normalizing Russian aggression against Ukraine?

Conflict Disinformation

UkraineAlert

Dec 3, 2019

Low expectations as Zelenskyy prepares for Putin peace talks in Paris

By Taras Kuzio

Ukraine's President Zelenskyy is hoping to make progress towards peace during his first face-to-face meeting with Vladimir Putin next week in Paris, but Russian and Ukrainian visions of a post-war settlement remain fundamentally at odds.

Conflict Russia

UkraineAlert

Dec 3, 2019

Ukraine faces a decisive December in a rapidly deteriorating geopolitical climate

By Stephen Blank

With a NATO summit in London and long awaited peace talks in Paris, December is shaping up to be a decisive month for Ukraine, but the geopolitical climate is far from favorable and could deteriorate further.

Conflict France

UkraineAlert

Nov 26, 2019

How to make Ukraine ten times better

By Diane Francis

“Ukraine is a wonderful country and could be ten times better. But to achieve this depends not on Russia, or anyone, but on Ukrainian leadership and on stopping corruption,” said Adnan Kivan.

Corruption Democratic Transitions

UkraineAlert

Nov 26, 2019

Ukraine is finally ready to embrace land reform

By Ilona Sologoub

The sale of private agricultural land has been banned since 2001. Ukraine is one of six countries in the world to maintain this restriction.

Corruption Democratic Transitions

UkraineAlert

Nov 26, 2019

Time for change

By Melinda Haring

UkraineAlert welcomes Peter Dickinson and says thank you to Melinda Haring.

Democratic Transitions Political Reform

UkraineAlert

Nov 20, 2019

Three months left to kill Nord Stream 2

By Diane Francis

Putin’s Nord Stream 2 is not an ordinary natural gas pipeline. It’s an underwater pipeline that will give Putin the power to plunge the Soviet Union’s former satellites and republics in Europe into darkness.

Energy Markets & Governance Geopolitics & Energy Security

UkraineAlert

Nov 20, 2019

Ukraine got its ships back but at what cost?

By Doug Klain

The press forgot something significant in its coverage. Yes, Ukraine has been calling for the return of these ships for months, and yes their status would have been a serious obstacle to peace talks, but the ships were illegally fired upon and seized while legally traveling in what should have been safe waters.

Conflict Crisis Management

UkraineAlert

Nov 19, 2019

It’s counterintuitive but Trump impeachment inquiry may help Ukraine

By Peter Dickinson

The press frenzy surrounding the Trump impeachment inquiry presents Ukraine with an unparalleled international stage upon which to share its side of the story.

Civil Society Political Reform