Stay Updated

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

Dec 7, 2023

While the West dithers, the future of the world is being decided in Ukraine

By
Peter Dickinson

If Western leaders choose to stop arming Ukraine against Russia’s invasion, future generations will view their decision as one of the great geopolitical turning points of the twenty-first century, writes Peter Dickinson.

Conflict
Defense Policy


UkraineAlert

Dec 7, 2023

Russia’s invasion cannot derail Ukraine’s rule of law reforms

By
Denys Maslov, Oleksandr Vasiuk

As Ukraine defends itself against Russia’s invasion, the country is also pursuing an ambitious reform agenda that is primarily focused on transforming the Ukrainian legal system and establishing the rule of law, write MPs Denys Maslov and Oleksandr Vasiuk.

Civil Society
Conflict


UkraineAlert

Dec 5, 2023

Fake history is a crucial weapon in Vladimir Putin’s bid to destroy Ukraine

By
Ihor Smeshko

The invading Russian army is not the only enemy Ukraine faces; the Kremlin propaganda and false historical narratives that drive and justify the invasion are arguably just as deadly, writes Ihor Smeshko.

Conflict
Disinformation


UkraineAlert

Dec 5, 2023

2023 review: Ukraine scores key victories in the Battle of the Black Sea

By
Oleksiy Goncharenko

The front lines of the Russian invasion in Ukraine have barely moved in 2023, but Ukraine has had far more success in the Black Sea, where it has broken Russia’s blockade and forced Putin’s fleet to retreat from Crimea, writes Oleksiy Goncharenko.

Conflict
Drones


UkraineAlert

Nov 30, 2023

Putin’s pro-war majority: Most Russians still support Ukraine invasion

By
Peter Dickinson

Putin’s pro-war majority: almost two years on, most Russians still support the Ukraine invasion and have reconciled themselves to the reality of a long war, writes Peter Dickinson.

Civil Society
Conflict


UkraineAlert

Nov 30, 2023

Western leaders must choose: Arm Ukraine or enable Putin’s genocide

By
Taras Kuzio

Western leaders must decide whether they are finally prepared to arm Ukraine adequately or face the consequences of a Russian victory which would lead to genocide in the heart of Europe, writes Taras Kuzio.

Conflict
Disinformation


UkraineAlert

Nov 28, 2023

Putin debunks his own propaganda by disarming Russia’s NATO borders

By
Peter Dickinson

Putin publicly blames NATO for provoking the invasion of Ukraine, but Russia’s recent demilitarization of the country’s borders with neighboring NATO members makes a mockery of such claims, writes Peter Dickinson.

Conflict
Democratic Transitions


UkraineAlert

Nov 25, 2023

Many Ukrainians see Putin’s invasion as a continuation of Stalin’s genocide

By
Kristina Hook

Many Ukrainians see today’s ongoing Russian invasion as a continuation of the Stalin regime’s genocidal attempts to eradicate Ukrainian national identity and destroy the Ukrainian nation, writes Kristina Hook .

Conflict
Disinformation


UkraineAlert

Nov 25, 2023

Expert panel: How will Russia’s invasion of Ukraine develop in 2024?

By
Benton Coblentz

How will Russia’s invasion of Ukraine develop during 2024? The Atlantic Council hosted a panel of experts to explore the key issues that will likely shape Russia’s war in Ukraine during the coming year.

Conflict
Defense Industry


UkraineAlert

Nov 21, 2023

Arming Ukraine is the cheapest way to stop Putin’s resurgent Russia

By
Ivan Verstyuk

Arming Ukraine may be expensive, but it is by far the cheapest way to stop Vladimir Putin’s resurgent Russia, writes Ivan Verstyuk.

Conflict
Defense Industry

spotlight

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.

The Eurasia Center’s mission is to enhance transatlantic cooperation in promoting stability, democratic values, and prosperity in Eurasia, from Eastern Europe and Turkey in the West to the Caucasus, Russia, and Central Asia in the East.

Follow us on social media
and support our work

Content

UkraineAlert

Oct 12, 2017

Setting the Record Straight on Crimea

By Leonid Bershidsky

It is ironic that Diane Francis views my characterizations of the Crimea annexation as touting the Kremlin line. Everything I’ve written about the Russian takeover of Crimea, from this March 2014 column comparing it with the Anschluss, to the October 4 column that displeased Francis, could land me in jail in Russia. Crimean Tatar activist […]

Russia Ukraine

UkraineAlert

Oct 11, 2017

The Only Thing Catalonia and Crimea Have in Common Is the Letter C

By Diane Francis

A Bloomberg piece in October titled “Why Catalonia Will Fail Where Crimea Succeeded” by Russian writer Leonid Bershidsky is an example of moral equivalence run amok. He compares two completely unrelated events—referenda in Crimea and Catalonia—as though they bear any similarity, and as though they carry the same moral weight. “The Catalan situation draws comparisons […]

Russia Southern & Southeastern Europe

UkraineAlert

Oct 10, 2017

Activists Urge Kyiv Mayor to Rename Street after Nemtsov

By Kateryna Smagliy

On October 9, when Boris Nemtsov would have turned 58, some of Ukraine’s politicians and activists held a press briefing to remember Nemtsov’s role in Ukraine’s two democratic revolutions and to urge Kyiv Mayor Vitali Klitschko to rename a street after the slain Russian politician. “Ukraine remembers Boris Nemtsov’s support of the Orange Revolution and […]

Russia Ukraine

UkraineAlert

Oct 10, 2017

Ukraine’s got talent: Engineer turned restaurateur turned politician breaking the old system

By Melinda Haring

Few would ever dream of challenging Vitali Klitschko, the three-time world heavyweight champion and mayor of Kyiv, in any kind of competition. But Sergiy Gusovsky isn’t like most people. Nearly a foot shorter and a political novice, Gusovsky went after Klitschko in the 2015 local elections. Even though the boxing champion was reelected mayor, Gusovsky grabbed […]

Democratic Transitions Political Reform

UkraineAlert

Oct 4, 2017

How Ukraine Can Avoid a Perfect Financial Storm

By Oleksandr Kharchenko

The recent resignation of all of the independent members of the Naftogaz Supervisory Board illustrates the sad state of the reform process in Ukraine. The reasons behind these resignations, which were publicly explained by the former members of the supervisory board in a letter to the Ukrainian government, are straightforward: they resigned because the Ukrainian […]

Ukraine

UkraineAlert

Oct 4, 2017

Now Is the Time for Electoral Reform in Ukraine

By Brian Mefford

Ukraine’s parliament has a busy agenda this autumn. Not only is a sweeping healthcare reform package needed to fix the country’s broken system, judicial reform, the creation of a special anticorruption court, and land reform are also pending. In spite of these burning priorities, now is also the best time for parliament to pass electoral […]

Ukraine

UkraineAlert

Oct 4, 2017

US Wrongly Thought Nukes Were Ukraine’s Biggest Problem

By Anders Åslund

Ukraine has played an important role in US foreign policy since it became independent in 1991. So far, this topic has received scant scholarly interest. The most substantial book to date was Sherman Garnett, The Keystone in the Arch: Ukraine in the Emerging Security Environment of Central and Eastern Europe, which was published in 1997, […]

Ukraine

UkraineAlert

Oct 4, 2017

History as a Weapon in Russia’s War on Ukraine

By Peter Dickinson

The international media will embrace all things Bolshevik this autumn as the world marks the centenary of the Russian Revolution. Audiences can expect everything from gushing feature articles about early Soviet cinematography to edgy op-eds on the place of propaganda posters in twentieth century art. Amid this deluge of Communist kitsch, we are unlikely to […]

Russia Ukraine

UkraineAlert

Oct 2, 2017

Merkel’s Next Challenge: Defeating Putin in Central Eastern Europe

By Péter Krekó

Now that the German elections are over and the victorious Chancellor Angela Merkel is preparing for coalition talks with potential partners, two important questions arise: how will the political changes in Germany affect German-Russian relations, which have become embittered in the last few years? And what impact could the election have on Germany’s influence in […]

Germany Ukraine

UkraineAlert

Sep 29, 2017

Ukraine’s Got a Real Chance to Change. Will It Blow It Again?

By Diane Francis

Ukraine’s future rests on whether its judicial reforms will bring about the rule of law for the first time in its history, or whether political influence continues to contaminate its system. It appears the latter is the case. Today, 111 new Supreme Court nominees were proposed to President Petro Poroshenko for his signature to begin […]

Ukraine