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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

Memo to Presidential Candidates: The Putin Problem Isn’t Going Away

UkraineAlert
Sep 30, 2025

Putin’s dream of demilitarizing Ukraine has turned into his worst nightmare

By
Peter Dickinson

Putin had hoped to demilitarize and decapitate the Ukrainian state, but his self-defeating invasion has inadvertently created the militarily powerful and fiercely independent Ukraine he feared most of all, writes Peter Dickinson.

Conflict
Defense Technologies

Memo to Presidential Candidates: The Putin Problem Isn’t Going Away

UkraineAlert
Oct 2, 2025

Drone superpower Ukraine is teaching NATO how to defend against Russia

By
David Kirichenko

Ukraine’s unrivaled experience of drone warfare makes it a key partner for NATO and an indispensable ally in the defense of Europe as the continent faces up to the mounting threat posed by an expansionist Russia, writes David Kirichenko.

Conflict
Defense Technologies

Memo to Presidential Candidates: The Putin Problem Isn’t Going Away

UkraineAlert
Oct 14, 2025

Russian strikes on Ukraine’s energy infrastructure are a European problem

By
Aura Sabadus

Russia’s strikes on Ukrainian energy infrastructure are no longer just a Ukrainian problem. Moscow’s bombing campaign will become a wider European issue unless more support is offered to Kyiv, writes Aura Sabadus.

Conflict
Drones

Latest analysis

UkraineAlert

Aug 30, 2021

What unites Ukrainians?

By
Arena

As Ukraine enters its fourth decade of statehood, new research based on more than 20 focus groups held across the country offers fascinating insights into the issues and experiences that unite Ukrainians.

Democratic Transitions
Resilience & Society


UkraineAlert

Aug 30, 2021

“Crimea is Ukraine”: Kyiv summit sends powerful message to Vladimir Putin

By
Diane Francis

The inaugural Crimea Platform summit in August sent a strong message to Moscow that the international community continues to recognize Crimea as part of Ukraine and rejects the Russian occupation.

Conflict
Human Rights


UkraineAlert

Aug 27, 2021

Rule of law shortcomings are the greatest obstacle to Ukraine’s future success

By
Richard Deitz

US President Joe Biden’s August 31 meeting with his Ukrainian counterpart Volodymyr Zelenskyy is a good opportunity to underline the importance of reforming the Ukrainian judiciary, writes US investor Richard Deitz.

Corruption
Economy & Business


UkraineAlert

Aug 27, 2021

Ukrainian leaders to Biden: Standing with the world’s democracies means changing course on Nord Stream 2

By
a group of Ukrainian lawmakers, leaders, civil society activists, and experts

In a letter to President Joe Biden, more than 50 Ukrainian policymakers, leaders, experts, and civil society activists call for the United States to change course on support for the Nord Stream 2 pipeline.

Corruption
Geopolitics & Energy Security


UkraineAlert

Aug 25, 2021

Putin’s pipeline poses an “existential threat” to Ukraine

By
Diane Francis

The CEO of Ukraine’s energy giant Naftogaz, Yuriy Vitrenko, has branded Vladimir Putin’s Nord Stream 2 pipeline project an existential threat to Ukraine and a security threat to Europe as a whole.

Conflict
Geopolitics & Energy Security


UkraineAlert

Aug 24, 2021

Looking back at the events that defined three decades of Ukrainian independence

By
Peter Dickinson

As Ukrainians celebrated the thirtieth anniversary of their country’s independence, the Atlantic Council asked a range of experts for their opinions on the most significant events during independent Ukraine’s first three decades.

Civil Society
Conflict


UkraineAlert

Aug 23, 2021

UKRAINE AT 30: What is independent Ukraine’s greatest achievement?

By
Peter Dickinson

Ukraine marks 30 years of independence this week with much to celebrate and plenty to regret. The Atlantic Council invited a range of experts to share their thoughts on independent Ukraine’s greatest achievements.

Democratic Transitions
Resilience & Society


UkraineAlert

Aug 23, 2021

Biden can reassert US leadership by backing Ukraine against Russia

By
Alexander Vershbow

President Biden must use his August 31 meeting with Ukraine’s President Zelenskyy to underline America’s commitment to defending the rules-based international order and supporting Ukraine against Russian aggression.

Conflict
Democratic Transitions


UkraineAlert

Aug 23, 2021

Is Ukraine’s split from Russia now irreversible?

By
Peter Dickinson

Ukraine’s split from Russia ranks as one of the most consequential European events since the Soviet collapse. But is this geopolitical divorce now final, or could Moscow still force Kyiv back into Russia’s orbit?

Conflict
Democratic Transitions


UkraineAlert

Aug 21, 2021

How modern Ukraine was made on Maidan

By
Peter Dickinson

Since 1991, Ukraine’s two post-Soviet Maidan revolutions have helped define the country as an emerging democracy that seeks to escape from the orbit of authoritarian Russia and embrace Euro-Atlantic integration.

Civil Society
Democratic Transitions

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spotlight

Resilience in the face of adversity

Ukraine’s transformation

Ukraine has moved tentatively toward an open society and market economy since independence. The country has held several democratic elections and made halting progress in addressing corruption and state control in its economy. Since the 2014 Maidan Revolution, Ukraine has undertaken significant governance and economic reform and moved decisively toward a Europe-Atlantic foreign policy. Since 2022, Ukraine has resiliently continued to advance some reforms despite fighting for its very existence against the full-scale Russian invasion.

Learn more about Ukraine

Memo to Presidential Candidates: The Putin Problem Isn’t Going Away

UkraineAlert
Dec 5, 2024

Ukraine’s entrepreneurial class can drive the country’s economic recovery

The Ukrainian SME sector has demonstrated remarkable wartime resilience and is poised to be at the forefront of efforts to create a modern, innovative, postwar economy, writes Anton Waschuk.

Read More

Memo to Presidential Candidates: The Putin Problem Isn’t Going Away

UkraineAlert
Oct 1, 2024

Ukraine needs international investors to maintain defense tech momentum

By
Mykhailo Fedorov

Ukraine’s rapidly expanding defense tech sector can play a game-changing role in the war against Russia but Ukrainian companies need international investment, writes Ukraine’s Minister for Digital Transformation Mykhailo Fedorov.

Artificial Intelligence
Conflict

Memo to Presidential Candidates: The Putin Problem Isn’t Going Away

UkraineAlert
Jun 13, 2024

Ukraine officially embraces English as historic westward pivot continues

By
Oleksiy Goncharenko

By officially embracing English, Ukrainians aim to support their country’s historic pivot away from Moscow and return to the European community of nations, writes Oleksiy Goncharenko.

Civil Society
Conflict

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.

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Content

UkraineAlert

Dec 14, 2015

Memo to Presidential Candidates: The Putin Problem Isn’t Going Away

By Terrell Jermaine Starr

Foreign-policy challenges will keep the next commander-in-chief up late. Analysts focus on the threat that Islamic State poses to the United States and its allies, but the Putin problem is unlikely to fade. As the candidates gear up for the next round of debates—slated for December 15 and 19—it’s time to take stock of the […]

Russia
Ukraine

UkraineAlert

Dec 14, 2015

Battle for Donetsk Airport: Haunting Documentary Captures Ukrainian Resilience

By Diane Francis

A haunting message from a Ukrainian soldier closes “Airport Donetsk,” a documentary about the 200-day siege that ended in January 2015. “I can’t sleep at all,” said the downcast survivor. “I see them…I see my guys in my dreams.” He was one of a dozen Ukrainians and Russians interviewed for this film by Radio Free […]

Russia
Ukraine

UkraineAlert

Dec 10, 2015

Russian Truckers Take to the Roads to Protest Tax, Declining Living Standards

By Sergey Aleksashenko

Hundreds of long-haul truck drivers have blocked Russia’s roads to protest a new national toll. The protest may cause changes in Russia’s political landscape and economic policy in the long-run, though its impact will be limited in the short-term. Even still, the protests are significant because they demonstrate an awakening of the Russian population and […]

Russia

UkraineAlert

Dec 9, 2015

Russian Military and Mercenaries Directly Implicated in Torture of Ukrainian Prisoners

By Halya Coynash

Ukrainian human rights activists believe that over 87 percent of Ukrainian soldiers and half the civilians who have been taken prisoner by Kremlin-backed, pro-Russian militants in the Donbas have been subjected to torture or ill treatment. Additionally, in over 40 percent of the so-called “interrogations,” key roles were played by mercenaries from the Russian Federation […]

Russia
Ukraine

UkraineAlert

Dec 8, 2015

Even in Theater, War and Displacement Has No Room in Ukraine

By Irena Chalupa

As I was walking up Kyiv’s colorful Andriyivsky descent on December 6, three explosions pierced the quiet evening. No one stopped examining the myriad souvenirs on sale in the booths lining the street, no one showed any fear or ran for cover. On the third explosion, one exasperated man exclaimed “Who the hell is blowing […]

Russia
Ukraine

UkraineAlert

Dec 8, 2015

Biden to Ukraine: “The United States stands firmly with the people of Ukraine”

By Melinda Haring

“Today Russia is occupying sovereign Ukrainian territory. Let me be crystal clear: the United States does not, will not, [and] never will recognize Russia’s attempt to annex the Crimea,” US Vice President Joe Biden said in a December 8 address to Ukraine’s parliament. The parliament gave Biden a standing ovation. Geoffrey Pyatt, US Ambassador to […]

Russia
Ukraine

UkraineAlert

Dec 8, 2015

The IMF Outfoxes Putin: Policy Change Means Ukraine Can Receive More Loans

By Anders Åslund

Today the Executive Board of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) reversed its “policy on not lending into arrears.” IMF spokesman Gerry Rice said in a statement that “the IMF’s executive board met today and agreed to change the current policy on non-toleration of arrears to official creditors.” Historically, the IMF has refused to lend to any country that has […]

Russia

UkraineAlert

Dec 8, 2015

Putin’s Goal is a New Yalta

By Aaron Korewa

I recently met with Ilya Yashin, a Russian opposition leader, political activist, and former colleague of the assassinated politician Boris Nemtsov. When I asked Yashin what the West could do to help those brave enough to defy the Russian regime, his main point was that governments and organizations must support Ukraine. The reason is obvious: […]

Russia
Ukraine

UkraineAlert

Dec 7, 2015

Take It to the Next Level: Create a Biden-Poroshenko Commission

By Anders Åslund and John Herbst

Ukraine has made great strides in the last two years. The democratic and pro-Western Ukrainian leaders that gained power in February 2014 have returned democracy to Ukraine and have conducted three free and fair elections at all levels of power. The Ukrainian nation has come together and successfully defended itself against Russian aggression. After two […]

Russia
Ukraine

UkraineAlert

Dec 2, 2015

Minimizing the Kremlin’s Influence on Europe

By Ariel Cohen

Ukraine can play a key role in Europe’s effort to decrease dependence on Russia’s natural gas. Europe’s over-weaning dependence on Russian energy is the focus of my new Atlantic Council study: Developing a Western Energy Strategy for the Black Sea Region and Beyond. Gazprom’s—and Moscow’s—energy clout has become a recognized challenge for Ukraine’s and Europe’s […]

Russia
Ukraine
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