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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

Aug 3, 2021

The next hot food destination is Ukraine

By
Melinda Haring

It's only a matter of time before foodies the world over discover these gems in Ukraine.


Civil Society


Ukraine


UkraineAlert

Jul 27, 2021

Is Putin’s next big chance to take Ukraine now?

By
Mark Temnycky

With the world distracted by the 2020 Tokyo Olympics, is anyone paying attention to Ukraine's East? Distractions favor Putin, and he's taken advantage of nearly every major sporting event of the last 14 years to stun the world.


Conflict


Crisis Management


UkraineAlert

Jul 27, 2021

More backsliding in Kyiv

By
Andrew D’Anieri

President Zelenskyy's exemption of infrastructure projects from standard tender procedures and oversight is a setback for reform. Yet the move has sparked necessary conversations on how to improve public procurement in Ukraine.


Corruption


Economy & Business


President Biden and Chancellor Merkel at a press conference at the White House.

UkraineAlert

Jul 27, 2021

Why is Biden letting Putin win?

By
Diane Francis

Russia and Germany, enabled by a distracted and increasingly isolationist United States, trample Europe and ignore the wishes of Central and Eastern European and Baltic nation-states. What does the White House think it’s doing?


Financial Sanctions and Economic Coercion


Geopolitics & Energy Security


UkraineAlert

Jul 20, 2021

Infrastructure cooperation could hold the key to Armenia’s future security

By
Ani Yeghiazaryan

As the South Caucasus looks to move on following last year's Nagorno-Karabakh War, shared infrastructure projects could help foster greater regional stability and improve the chances for a sustainable peace.


Geopolitics & Energy Security


Peacekeeping and Peacebuilding


UkraineAlert

Jul 18, 2021

UKRAINE AT 30: Andriy Shevchenko’s three decades as unofficial ambassador

By
Peter Dickinson

No Ukrainian has done more to raise the country's international profile that footballer Andriy Shevchenko, who has been quite simply the most famous Ukrainian in the world since the early years of independence.


Resilience & Society


Ukraine


UkraineAlert

Jul 18, 2021

Ukraine takes a big step towards judicial reform

By
Olena Halushka and Tetiana Shevchuk

Ukraine took a big step towards judicial reform on July 13 when MPs adopted laws that establish credible foundations for the reboot of the country’s deeply compromised legal system.


Civil Society


Corruption


UkraineAlert

Jul 18, 2021

Ukraine’s faltering efforts to privatize state-owned banks

By
Mark Savchuk

The Ukrainian government is committed to reducing its estimated 55% stake in the country's banking system by overseeing the privatization of state-owned banks, but progress remains painfully slow.


Economy & Business


Financial Regulation


UkraineAlert

Jul 18, 2021

Naftogaz corporate governance is a national priority for Ukraine

By
Andriy Boytsun

In recent months, developments at Ukraine’s national energy company, Naftogaz, have raised concerns over the country's broader post-Maidan drive to reform corporate governance at state-owned enterprises


Corruption


Energy Markets & Governance


UkraineAlert

Jul 15, 2021

Is Kazakhstan experiencing the early stages of a democratic awakening?

By
Rustam Kypshakbayev

While it is too early to speak of a democratic awakening in Kazakhstan, current trends suggest that the country may be moving in that direction. This could have major repercussions for the wider region.


Central Asia


Civil Society

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.

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Content

UkraineAlert

Jan 9, 2015

What the Kremlin’s Setback May Mean

By Elizabeth Pond

Economics Have Stalled Putin, But He Often Answers Reversals With Military Threats In the Ukraine crisis, soft economic power last month trumped hard military power for the first time. The threatened meltdown of the Russian economy could push Russian President Vladimir Putin to dial down his undeclared war on Ukraine in return for some easing […]

Eastern Europe Russia

UkraineAlert

Jan 9, 2015

January: An Important Month for Shaping the US Role in Europe

By Ian Brzezinski

Amid Ukraine-Russia Crisis, New Decisions Will Define America’s ‘Force Posture’ for Years to Come Almost a year after Russia’s invasions of Ukraine, the US government will roll out a series of decisions in the next month that will play a big role in shaping how the United States and its transatlantic allies respond in the long […]

Eastern Europe Europe & Eurasia

UkraineAlert

Jan 6, 2015

As Kyiv Tackles Corruption and Reform, a New Threat: Warlords

By New Atlanticist

Kyiv’s Government Is Failing to Act Against Some Volunteer Defense Units Now Acting Like Outlaws, Adrian Karatnycky Writes As Ukraine’s new parliament and cabinet are tackling corruption and the country’s fiscal crisis with the energy of an unprecedented new crop of civic activists, pro-democracy activists and skilled technocrats, a new threat is arising: outlaw-style threats […]

Ukraine

UkraineAlert

Jan 6, 2015

Ukraine’s Crisis in 2015: What to Expect

By New Atlanticist

Donbas War Will Last All Year; May Be Settled With Early Parliament Election, Mefford Writes How predictable is Ukraine’s coming year, given its financial crisis, its untested new government and, above all, its war against Russia and its proxy forces in the southeastern region of Donbas? Not very predictable, notes the Atlantic Council’s Kyiv-based senior […]

Eastern Europe Russia

UkraineAlert

Dec 29, 2014

For 2015, Six Critical Themes for Meeting Russia’s Threat to Europe

By James Rupert

A Crisis Index by Atlantic Council’s UkraineAlert Throughout Russia’s assault this year on Ukraine, one of Europe’s most dangerous wars since the close of World War II, the Atlantic Council has analyzed the conflict for ways to sustain Europe’s stability and the right of 43 million Ukrainians to the independent, democratic future they have chosen. […]

Eastern Europe Russia

UkraineAlert

Dec 29, 2014

Ukraine’s Got Talent: New Anti-Corruption Bureau Includes Big Names

By New Atlanticist

Still, Ukrainians Wait to See Concrete Steps to End a System of Graft Ukraine’s new government is on track to pass a painfully austere budget by the end of the year, according to the Atlantic Council’s Kyiv-based senior fellow, Brian Mefford. The other center of attention is the government’s establishment of a National Anti-Corruption Bureau, […]

Ukraine

UkraineAlert

Dec 27, 2014

DIRECT TRANSLATION: A Retired Russian Army Officer Sends Paid ‘Volunteers’ to Fight in Ukraine

By James Rupert

Kremlin Quietly Supports Network That Sends Thousands of Russian Veterans to Donbas War In Yekaterinburg, the main city of Russia’s Ural region, retired army officer Vladimir Yefimov organizes army veterans to fight for Russia in southeastern Ukraine, more than 1,000 miles away. While Russia’s deployment of army troops and non-official Russian “volunteer” fighters in Ukraine […]

Eastern Europe Russia

UkraineAlert

Dec 23, 2014

In the War for Ukraine’s Donbas, the Ordeal of a Frontline Town

By Irena Chalupa

Far From Kyiv and Next to Donetsk, the Elderly of Pisky Get Daily Shelling, But No Pensions Before this year’s war in southeast Ukraine, the town of Pisky, at the edge of the city of Donetsk, was home to about 3,000 people. Many were academics who worked at the local Donetsk Institute of Agricultural Production. […]

Eastern Europe Ukraine

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