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

May 4, 2022

Foreign policy realists should be bolder about defeating Putin in Ukraine

By
Henrik Larsen

Foreign policy realists have urged caution over Ukraine but as the conflict grinds on it is now time to recognize that the democratic world has a significant interest in securing Vladimir Putin’s decisive defeat.

Conflict
European Union


UkraineAlert

May 2, 2022

Lavrov’s anti-Semitic outburst exposes absurdity of Russia’s “Nazi Ukraine” claims

By
Peter Dickinson

Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov has sparked a diplomatic scandal with an anti-Semitic outburst that underlines the absurdity of Russia’s relentless “Nazi Ukraine” propaganda claims.

Conflict
Democratic Transitions


UkraineAlert

May 1, 2022

Finally! German MPs back heavy weapons for Ukraine in historic vote

By
Vitaly Sych

The German Bundestag on April 28 finally agreed to supply heavy weapons to Ukraine in an historic vote that marked a departure from months of caution in Berlin and efforts to avoid confrontation with the Kremlin.

Conflict
Corruption


UkraineAlert

Apr 30, 2022

Ukraine War Diary: “You can never really get used to the air raid sirens”

By
Vitaly Sych

Ukrainian media personality Vitaly Sych has kept a war diary recounting his experiences and observations during the past two terrifying and heroic months as Ukrainians have adjusted to Vladimir Putin’s criminal invasion.

Conflict
Cybersecurity


UkraineAlert

Apr 27, 2022

Beyond Putin: Russian imperialism is the No. 1 threat to global security

By
Volodymyr Vakhitov, Natalia Zaika

Many Western leaders accuse Vladimir Putin of single-handedly sparking the current war in Ukraine but in reality the roots of the conflict are far deeper and reflect longstanding Russian imperial attitudes toward Ukraine.

Conflict
Disinformation


UkraineAlert

Apr 23, 2022

New stamp captures Ukraine’s resolve to defy Putin and defeat Russia

By
Peter Dickinson

A new Ukrainian postage stamp commemorating an iconic act of resistance to Vladimir Putin’s invasion has become a symbol of surging patriotic pride and growing confidence in Ukraine’s eventual victory over Russia.

Civil Society
Conflict


UkraineAlert

Apr 22, 2022

Putin’s Unholy War

By
Knox Thames

Vladimir Putin’s unholy war in Ukraine has sought to exploit centuries of shared Orthodox faith but the ongoing invasion has only served to expose the growing gulf separating modern Ukraine from Russia.

Civil Society
Conflict


UkraineAlert

Apr 21, 2022

Genocide in Ukraine: Putin just gave his tacit approval for more war crimes

By
Peter Dickinson

By bestowing military honors on Russian soldiers accused of war crimes against Ukraine civilians, Vladimir Putin is setting the stage for further atrocities and underlining the genocidal intentions behind his invasion of Ukraine.

Conflict
Disinformation


UkraineAlert

Apr 20, 2022

UN: Ukraine refugee crisis is Europe’s biggest since WWII

By
Julian Vierlinger

According to UN data, more than five million Ukrainians have now fled their homeland since the start of Russia’s invasion on February 24, representing the biggest European refugee crisis since the Second World War.

Civil Society
Conflict


UkraineAlert

Apr 18, 2022

Putin’s Generation Z: Kremlin pro-war propaganda targets young Russians

By
Doug Klain

The wave of fanaticism unleashed by the invasion of Ukraine is creating a new generation of radicalized young Russians who embrace the toxic brand of militarism and extreme nationalism promoted by the Kremlin.

Conflict
Disinformation

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

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

UkraineAlert

Dec 19, 2016

The Future of Ukraine’s Economy

By Melinda Haring

“What we need most of all is the end of hostilities,” said Martin Sajdik, Special Representative of the OSCE Chairperson-in-Office in Ukraine and the Trilateral Contact Group on the implementation of the peace plan in eastern Ukraine, at an event about Ukraine. “Without international assistance from the EU, from the United States, from Japan…I don’t […]

Russia
Ukraine

UkraineAlert

Dec 19, 2016

Ukraine Nationalizes its Biggest Bank. Here’s Why This Is a Good Thing

By Anders Åslund

On December 18, the Ukrainian authorities nationalized PrivatBank, the country’s biggest bank. This decision may mark the end of the banking crisis in Ukraine. PrivatBank accounts for one-fifth of all Ukrainian banking assets and half of payments. It is the dominant bank for small and medium-sized businessmen, but about 70 percent of its lending is […]

Ukraine

UkraineAlert

Dec 15, 2016

Russia’s ‘Active Measures’ Are Back with a Vengeance

By Amanda Abrams

The issue of Russian hacking of American email accounts in order to influence the US presidential election reached new heights this week. President Barack Obama ordered the intelligence community to conduct a full review of Russia’s interference in the elections before he leaves office on January 20, and Senators John McCain and Lindsey Graham announced […]

Cybersecurity
Russia

UkraineAlert

Dec 13, 2016

Q&A: What Does a Friend of Putin at Foggy Bottom Mean for Ukraine?

By Melinda Haring

President-elect Donald Trump has picked ExxonMobil CEO Rex Tillerson as his secretary of state. In 2013, Russian President Vladimir Putin personally bestowed Russia’s Order of Friendship on Tillerson. As CEO of ExxonMobil, he’s argued for sanctions relief on Russia. By October 2016, some reports estimate that Exxon has lost $1 billion because of White House […]

Russia
Ukraine

UkraineAlert

Dec 12, 2016

Swedish Tech Entrepreneurs Find Top Talent and Warm Welcome in Ukraine

By Diane Francis

Gustav Henman describes his time at Moscow State University as a “Russian cold shower.” But he was no stranger to cold weather as a Swede, and has ended up in Ukraine, where the weather is slightly more moderate and the engineering talent plentiful. He and his business partner, Andreas Flodström, went to Ukraine in 2012 […]

Northern Europe
Ukraine

UkraineAlert

Dec 7, 2016

Beware of the Russian Bear in the Balkans

By Harriet Salem

On October 16, just hours before Montenegrins were due to head to the polls, the government made an alarming announcement. It claimed security services had foiled a Russian nationalist attempt to seize control of the parliament and assassinate Prime Minister Milo Djukanovic (who has since resigned). The Kremlin undoubtedly has an axe to grind with […]

Russia
The Balkans

UkraineAlert

Dec 7, 2016

Sanctions on Russia Need More Teeth

By Sergey Aleksashenko

It has been more than two years since the European Union and the United States imposed economic sanctions on Russia for its aggression in Ukraine. How effective have the sanctions been? According to US Assistant Secretary of State Victoria Nuland in 2016, sanctions were meant to “press Moscow to bring an end to the violence […]

Russia
Ukraine

UkraineAlert

Dec 6, 2016

Trump, Brexit, and the Myth of Ukrainian Nationalism

By Peter Dickinson

The election of Donald Trump to the US presidency is the latest indication that the liberal globalist consensus of the post-Cold War era is finally over. The sanctity of political correctness has been shattered and we now find ourselves hurtling headlong into the uncharted territory of anti-establishment populism. Trump’s triumph is part of a broader […]

Russia
Ukraine

UkraineAlert

Dec 5, 2016

There’s More to DC Fashion than Gray Suits and More to Ukraine than War

By Melinda Haring

Vogue cannot get enough of Ukraine’s new designers and eye-catching traditional designs. Since the Euromaidan, the magazine has covered the country’s hot fashion scene half a dozen times. On November 30, seven of Ukraine’s designers were on display at a fashion show in Washington, DC, “to celebrate Ukraine’s creative culture,” said Alexa Chopivsky, executive director […]

Ukraine