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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

May 6, 2019

The illusions of Putin’s Russia

By Anders Åslund

The best defense of the West against Putin’s authoritarian and kleptocratic regime is transparency, shining light on this anonymous wealth.

Corruption Financial Regulation

UkraineAlert

May 3, 2019

Children as a tool: how Russia militarizes kids in the Donbas and Crimea

By Iryna Matviyishyn

With an eye to the future, officials in the Russian-occupied territories of Ukraine are waging a campaign of “patriotic education” aimed at reaching the hearts and minds of those most susceptible to ideological persuasion: children. Russia has always used the militarization of public life to indoctrinate local populations and continues that practice today. Currently, thousands […]

Conflict Human Rights

UkraineAlert

May 2, 2019

Time for Ukraine to compete with Russia

By Grigory Frolov

Showman Volodymyr Zelenskiy will soon be sworn in as president of Ukraine. Last month he crushed incumbent President Petro Poroshenko in a remarkable landslide. Zelenskiy’s victory was noteworthy in Ukraine, but it’s also making headlines across the former Soviet Union. While Zelenskiy is inexperienced and his policies aren’t well defined, he knows how to engage […]

European Union Inclusive Growth

UkraineAlert

May 2, 2019

Ukraine’s new language law rights historic wrongs

By Andrej Lushnycky

For centuries the Ukrainian language was relegated to the status of a “peasant language” by the foreign rulers of the lands that make up the country today and by foreign scholars in Europe and abroad who perpetuated this Russian imperial falsehood. More recently, after the disintegration of the Soviet Union, Ukraine inherited a Soviet political […]

Civil Society Nationalism

UkraineAlert

Apr 29, 2019

Vladimir Putin does Shakespeare

By Stephen Blank

Vladimir Putin’s newest display of talent is his excelling in theatrics. He recently elected to play Macbeth or Richard III. Having nothing left to offer Russia as the indices of immiseration pile up, Putin’s recourse to imperial theatrics has dramatically accelerated. But ultimately this performance, like those of his predecessors on stage and in reality, […]

Conflict Human Rights

UkraineAlert

Apr 26, 2019

What is wrong with the Ukrainian economy?

By Anders Åslund

Construction is booming in Kyiv, Ukraine, but not the rest of the economy. A major reason is that Ukrainians with some extra savings do not put their money into banks but buy additional apartments instead. Others keep their savings in cash. On average, Ukrainian MPs keep $700,000 at home. Those who have a lot of […]

Financial Regulation Fiscal and Structural Reform

UkraineAlert

Apr 25, 2019

10 ways the west should engage with Ukraine after 2019 elections

By Chatham House

Five years after the annexation of Crimea and the instigation of conflict in the Donbas, the reasons for continued sanctions on Russia have not gone away. Crimea is still occupied. War grinds on in the Donbas. Ukraine held presidential elections this spring and will hold parliamentary elections in the fall. Whatever the results, events in […]

Defense Policy Disinformation

UkraineAlert

Apr 25, 2019

What Zelenskiy’s victory means for Ukraine

By David J. Kramer

The temptation in Kyiv and elsewhere is to look past Sunday’s overwhelming victory by upstart Volodymyr Zelenskiy over incumbent Petro Poroshenko and try to divine what it means for Ukraine. This piece will yield to that temptation—but after acknowledging the importance of what happened Sunday and throughout the election campaign. Free and fair elections in […]

Democratic Transitions Elections

UkraineAlert

Apr 24, 2019

How history will judge Poroshenko

By Alexander J. Motyl

The majority of Ukraine’s voters and pundits detest President Petro Poroshenko who lost his chance at a second term on April 21. However, history will prove them wrong and judge him as Ukraine’s most successful leader. Indeed, Poroshenko will go down in the annals as the man who consolidated Ukraine’s state, nation, democracy, and the […]

Democratic Transitions Elections

UkraineAlert

Apr 23, 2019

Why Poroshenko lost

By Dennis Soltys

On April 21, television star Volodymyr Zelenskiy crushed incumbent president Petro Poroshenko in the second round of Ukraine’s presidential election. Even though Zelenskiy has never held elected office, voters were so tired of corruption and economic stagnation that they were willing to take a risk. Zelenskiy ran an unusual campaign. He made few programmatic promises […]

Democratic Transitions Elections

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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

Sep 3, 2019

Want investors to take Ukraine seriously? The solution is obvious

By Mykhailo Zhernakov

Now is time to change Ukraine’s courts, and we can make it happen, so long as our Western friends speak out loudly and forcefully at the right moments.

Corruption Political Reform

UkraineAlert

Aug 27, 2019

G7 leaders: the Kremlin is setting a trap. Don’t fall for it

By Arseniy Yatsenyuk

The Kremlin counts on using this goodwill to lead us into a trap of fatal mistakes.

Conflict International Norms

UkraineAlert

Aug 19, 2019

The West needs to act fast to help Ukraine

By Anders Åslund

This might be Ukraine’s greatest chance yet. The West needs to assist as well as it can.

European Union Political Reform

UkraineAlert

Aug 14, 2019

Do something with state enterprises already

By Anders Åslund

President Volodymyr Zelenskyy is right to emphasize the need to privatize state-owned enterprises.

Financial Regulation Fiscal and Structural Reform

UkraineAlert

Aug 14, 2019

An open letter to Mrs. Zelenskyy

By Melinda Haring

When you come to Washington, we will welcome you with open arms.

Civil Society Elections

Uncategorized

Aug 14, 2019

Mr. Zelenskyy goes to Washington

By Yuri Polakiwsky

This new generation of leadership has rejected the psychological and emotional ties to Russia held by post-independence Ukrainian political leaders.

Political Reform Security & Defense

UkraineAlert

Aug 14, 2019

How one man’s outsized philanthropy transformed a village and may inspire a new kind of giving

By Viola Gienger

“I hope this project will be an example for other entrepreneurs and for other communities in Ukraine," said Mykhaylo Veselskyy.

Inclusive Growth Ukraine

UkraineAlert

Aug 14, 2019

Many ills for Ukraine’s veterans but one place to look for a cure

By Melinda Haring

When veterans return from eastern Ukraine, sleep deprivation, anxiety, and depression are common complaints.

Civil Society Conflict

UkraineAlert

Aug 14, 2019

Preparing for the US-Ukraine summit

By Stephen Blank

Presidents Trump and Zelenskyy can not only thwart Moscow across Europe, they can both strengthen their respective countries’ positions across Europe.

Energy Markets & Governance National Security

UkraineAlert

Aug 13, 2019

Corruption and courts matter but universities are key

By Marta Farion

Quality education is essential for innovation, initiatives, and competitiveness that have a direct bearing on economic and national security.

Democratic Transitions Political Reform