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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

Feb 18, 2021

Ukraine adopts new and improved referendum law

By
Alisa Shushkovska and Harald Jepsen

Ukraine's recently adopted National Referendum Law fulfills an election promise made by President Zelenskyy to give the people of Ukraine greater and more direct influence over national policies.


Democratic Transitions


Elections


UkraineAlert

Feb 16, 2021

Putin the Poisoner

By
Peter Dickinson

Putin the Poisoner: Russian President Vladimir Putin has adopted a poisonous approach to international politics in a bid to defend his own authoritarian regime by dividing, discrediting, and destabilizing the democratic world.


Disinformation


European Union


UkraineAlert

Feb 16, 2021

Why is Ukraine still not in NATO?

By
Dmytro Kuleba

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said recently that he'd like to ask US President Joe Biden, "Why is Ukraine still not in NATO?" Ukraine's Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba agrees that this question has never been more pertinent.


Conflict


NATO


UkraineAlert

Feb 16, 2021

IMF puts Ukraine on pause over corruption concerns

By
Anders Åslund

A recent IMF mission to Ukraine ended without reaching any decision on a new tranche. IMF concerns over Ukraine's anti-corruption efforts will increase the pressure on President Zelenskyy.


Corruption


International Financial Institutions


UkraineAlert

Feb 11, 2021

Rising EU-Russia tensions are good news for Ukraine

By
Oleksiy Goncharenko

European foreign policy chief Josep Borrell's disastrous recent visit to Moscow has sparked a crisis in Russia-EU relations that could end up being to Ukraine's advantage.


Conflict


European Union


UkraineAlert

Feb 10, 2021

Covid crisis accelerates Ukraine’s digital revolution

By
Mykhailo Fedorov

The unique challenges of the Covid crisis have helped to accelerate Ukraine's digital revolution, says the country's Minister of Digital Transformation Mykhailo Fedorov.


Coronavirus


Digital Policy


UkraineAlert

Feb 9, 2021

Kremlin TV chief: Russia must annex east Ukraine

By
Alvydas Medalinskas

Kremlin TV chief Margarita Simonyan called on Russia to annex eastern Ukraine's Donbas region during a recent high-profile forum that signaled an escalation in Moscow's seven-year hybrid war against Ukraine.


Conflict


Disinformation


UkraineAlert

Feb 9, 2021

Ukraine signs vaccine deal but delays highlight urgent need for healthcare reform

By
Pavlo Kovtoniuk

Ukraine has finally secured the country's first sizable COVID-19 vaccine contract, but the fact that this depended on the role of Britain's Crown Agents has underlined Ukraine's procurement dysfunction.


Coronavirus


Corruption


UkraineAlert

Feb 7, 2021

Can Putin’s pet pipeline still be saved from sanctions?

By
Diane Francis

Russia continues to defy US attempts to block the Nord Stream 2 pipeline, but with the new administration of President Biden committed to stopping the project, can it still be saved?


Geopolitics & Energy Security


Russia


UkraineAlert

Feb 5, 2021

Analysis: Ukraine bans Kremlin-linked TV channels

By
Peter Dickinson

President Zelenskyy shut down three Kremlin-linked TV channels on February 2 in a move portrayed as a major blow to Russia’s hybrid war against Ukraine. The step has sparked debate over the balance between national security and free speech.


Conflict


Disinformation

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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 23, 2014

As US and Europe Press Ukraine to Reform, They Also Must Help Save It from Default

By Sabine Freizer

The Ukrainian Project to Keep Europe Whole and Free Needs Adequate Financing—and Quickly  Ukraine’s new government has unleashed a “tiger team” of ministers committed to quick and comprehensive reforms—but as that work begins, the costs of war and recession have pushed Ukraine to the edge of default.  Ukraine has begun to take steps to slash […]

European Union International Organizations

UkraineAlert

Dec 19, 2014

Putin Leaves All Options Open on Economic Crisis and Ukraine War

By James Rupert

Pascual: As Russia Faces Economic Downturn, West Should Probe Kremlin on Chances of a Merkel-Brokered Deal In his annual press conference this week, Russian President Vladimir Putin offered no clear suggestion for how he proposes to dig Russia out of its deepening economic hole. And he signaled no new direction in government’s sponsorship of the […]

Russia Ukraine

UkraineAlert

Dec 19, 2014

Measuring Ukraine’s War on Corruption: Key Signs to Watch in Early 2015

By New Atlanticist

As Ukraine’s new government has taken office and vows to clean up endemic corruption—publicly perceived as Europe’s worst, according to Transparency International—here are some leading indicators of its progress, as suggested by the Atlantic Council’s Kyiv-based senior fellow, Brian Mefford. You can find his full essay on this at his own blog.

Ukraine

UkraineAlert

Dec 17, 2014

Ruble’s Collapse Will Force Putin to Move. But Which Way?

By James Rupert

Russia’s Choice, Between Market Reforms and State Controls, May Open or Shut Doors to Détente Over Ukraine The Russian ruble’s stunning collapse this week may lead President Vladimir Putin to order changes at the country’s central bank and in his cabinet. As he does, will he tilt his government toward Russia’s market-oriented economic reformers or […]

Russia Ukraine

UkraineAlert

Dec 16, 2014

Ukraine’s New Cabinet Lineup Offers Broad Competence for Reforms

By New Atlanticist

Atlantic Council Analyst Lists Whom to Watch in the Battle to Improve Governance and Economy Ukraine’s overhauled cabinet lineup, now complete, offers clues to the new leadership’s seriousness and competence for its critical task of reforms. For a government that must decentralize governance, make official transactions transparent, prosecute and prevent graft, rebuild its finances, resuscitate […]

Ukraine

UkraineAlert

Dec 16, 2014

President Obama Will Sign Congress’ Bill to Aid Ukraine: Here’s Why

By James Rupert

‘Freedom Support Act’ Authorizes, But Does Not Require, Arms Sales to Ukraine In passing its bill to boost US support for Ukraine last week, Congress left President Barack Obama largely free to decide how and when to apply its provisions – and that flexibility is one reason Obama has chosen to sign the act, even […]

Eastern Europe Russia

UkraineAlert

Dec 12, 2014

Ukraine: Suddenly, an Information Ministry Is Born

By Irena Chalupa

Poroshenko’s Team Creates a Government Agency in 60 Hours; Critics Ask if This Is the Way to Counter Kremlin Propaganda President Petro Poroshenko’s government created a Ministry of Information Policy last week in sixty hours from first proposal to parliamentary approval—and did so over the objections of pro-reform legislators, journalists, and democracy activists.

Ukraine

UkraineAlert

Dec 12, 2014

Meet Ukraine’s New Anti-Corruption Lawmakers

By New Atlanticist

Pro-Democracy Activists Join Parliament—and the Battle for Ukraine’s Future The new parliament and political leadership taking office in Ukraine includes members of an energetic, young class of leaders who have emerged from last year’s Maidan movement, with its demands for greater democracy and an end to massive political corruption. Our colleagues at the National Democratic […]

Ukraine

UkraineAlert

Dec 12, 2014

DIRECT TRANSLATION: ‘My First Ten Days as a Member of the Ukrainian Parliament’

By Irena Chalupa

Anti-Corruption Journalist Who Ran for Office Says Poroshenko Has Stifled Dissent Within the New Government Serhiy Leshchenko, age thirty-four, is a Kyiv-based investigative journalist and blogger who has been deputy chief editor of Ukrainska Pravda, the country’s most prominent independent news website. After supporting last year’s pro-democracy Maidan movement, he opted this year to run […]

Ukraine

UkraineAlert

Dec 9, 2014

Is Russia’s Economic Pain Forcing Putin to Step Back on Ukraine?

By Elizabeth Pond

Russian President’s Softened Rhetoric and Talks with Ukraine Suggest a Change Are Western economic sanctions and falling oil prices starting to deter President Vladimir Putin from his larger ambitions in the Ukraine crisis? While Putin has vowed that Russia will overcome its economic isolation, ordinary Russians are feeling increased pain from an economy sliding into […]

Eastern Europe Russia