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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

As Putin retreats in Ukraine, he is also losing Kazakhstan

UkraineAlert Feb 28, 2025

Putin uses NATO as an excuse for his war against Ukrainian statehood

By Peter Dickinson

Vladimir Putin claims his invasion of Ukraine was provoked by NATO expansion but his efforts to eradicate Ukrainian identity in areas under Russian occupation and his insistence regarding Ukraine’s complete disarmament reveal his ultimate goal of erasing Ukrainian statehood entirely, writes Peter Dickinson.
Civil Society Conflict
As Putin retreats in Ukraine, he is also losing Kazakhstan

UkraineAlert Mar 4, 2025

Europe has the resources to defend itself and back Ukraine against Russia

By Agnia Grigas

By leveraging its economic strength, demographic advantage, and military potential, Europe can confidently counter Putin’s imperial ambitions and provide Ukraine with the support it needs to resist Russia’s invasion, writes Agnia Grigas.
Conflict Defense Industry
As Putin retreats in Ukraine, he is also losing Kazakhstan

UkraineAlert Feb 27, 2025

The Finlandization fallacy: Ukrainian neutrality will not stop Putin’s Russia

By Brian Mefford

Donald Trump seeks to broker a peace deal with Vladimir Putin but any attempt to impose neutrality on Ukraine could set the stage for further Russian aggression, writes Brian Mefford.
Conflict European Union

Latest analysis

UkraineAlert

Apr 4, 2025

Lithuanians pay tribute to US soldiers who died in training exercise tragedy

By Agnia Grigas

Thousands of Lithuanians paid tribute this week to four United States soldiers who died during a training exercise in the Baltic nation, writes Agnia Grigas.

Conflict Defense Policy

UkraineAlert

Apr 3, 2025

The West must stop seeking Putin’s permission for peace in Ukraine

By Alyona Getmanchuk

If Western leaders are serious about achieving a lasting peace in Europe, they must move decisively to provide Ukraine with security guarantees without worrying whether Putin will agree or not, writes Alyona Getmanchuk.

Conflict European Union

UkraineAlert

Apr 1, 2025

Russian advance slows in March as Putin’s invasion loses momentum

By Peter Dickinson

Putin says his invading army is now poised to “finish off” the Ukrainian military, but in reality Russian forces continued to lose momentum in March 2025, with the Kremlin’s territorial gains reportedly falling for a fourth consecutive month, writes Peter Dickinson.

Conflict Defense Industry

UkraineAlert

Apr 1, 2025

Peace on Putin’s terms would lead to a new era of international insecurity

By Oleksandr Merezhko

As Trump seeks to end the war in Ukraine, it is apparent that any peace on Putin’s terms would signal the dawn of a dangerous new era marked by mounting instability, international aggression, and the looming threat of nuclear war, writes Oleksandr Merezhko.

China Conflict

UkraineAlert

Apr 1, 2025

Still no consensus on using frozen Russian assets to support Ukraine

By Mark Temnycky

Western leaders are still unable to reach a consensus on the use of around $300 billion in frozen Russian assets to finance the Ukrainian war effort, writes Mark Temnycky.

Conflict Economic Sanctions

UkraineAlert

Mar 27, 2025

UN report: Russia is guilty of crimes against humanity in occupied Ukraine

By Peter Dickinson

A new United Nations report has concluded that Russia is guilty of committing crimes against humanity in the occupied regions of Ukraine, writes Peter Dickinson.

Conflict Freedom and Prosperity

UkraineAlert

Mar 27, 2025

Sanctions will remain an essential tool to deter future Russian aggression  

By Ilona Khmeleva 

Ukraine needs security guarantees to prevent a renewal of Russia’s invasion following any peace deal, but the threat of severe sanctions can also help deter the Kremlin from further military aggression, writes Ilona Khmeleva.

Conflict Economic Sanctions

UkraineAlert

Mar 26, 2025

If Trump wants peace in Ukraine, he must increase the pressure on Putin

By Doug Klain

Weeks after Ukraine backed a US proposal for an unconditional ceasefire, Russia continues to stall and push for further concessions. If Trump wants to secure peace, he must increase the pressure on Putin, writes Doug Klain.

Conflict Defense Technologies

UkraineAlert

Mar 25, 2025

Ukraine’s growing military strength is an underrated factor in peace talks

By Serhii Kuzan

Any discussion on the future course of the war against Russia and the terms of any peace deal must take into account the fact that Ukraine is a now major military power in its own right, writes Serhii Kuzan.

Conflict Defense Industry

UkraineAlert

Mar 20, 2025

Putin is ruthlessly erasing Ukrainian identity in Russian-occupied Ukraine

By Peter Dickinson

Kremlin dictator Vladimir Putin is pursuing policies in Russian-occupied Ukraine that almost certainly meet the definition of ethnic cleansing and may qualify as genocide, writes Peter Dickinson.

Civil Society Conflict
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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
As Putin retreats in Ukraine, he is also losing Kazakhstan

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.

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As Putin retreats in Ukraine, he is also losing Kazakhstan

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
As Putin retreats in Ukraine, he is also losing Kazakhstan

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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UkraineAlert

Nov 30, 2022

As Putin retreats in Ukraine, he is also losing Kazakhstan

By Kamila Auyezova

Putin's rapidly unraveling invasion of Ukraine is eroding Russian influence throughout the former Soviet Empire. This process of imperial retreat is nowhere more visible than in Kazakhstan, writes Kamila Auyezova.

Central Asia China

UkraineAlert

Nov 29, 2022

Fueling Ukraine’s fight back against Russia’s blackout blitz

By Oleksiy Chernyshov

Russia's bombing campaign of civilian infrastructure means Ukraine faces the toughest winter season in the country's 31-year independent history, writes newly appointed Naftogaz CEO Oleksiy Chernyshov.

Conflict Energy Markets & Governance

UkraineAlert

Nov 29, 2022

Former moderate Dmitry Medvedev becomes Putin’s pro-war cheerleader

By Alexander Motyl, Dennis Soltys

Once seen in the West as a source of hope for better ties with Russia, former president Dmitry Medvedev has emerged since February 2022 as a pro-war cheerleader who regularly demonizes Ukraine on social media.

Conflict Disinformation

UkraineAlert

Nov 25, 2022

The West must urgently overcome its fear of provoking Putin

By Daniel Bilak

Western leaders insist they will stand with Ukraine until Russia's invasion is defeated but fear of provoking Putin continues to constrain the democratic world's response to a war that has already cost tens of thousands of lives.

Conflict Economic Sanctions

UkraineAlert

Nov 23, 2022

Lessons from the Cuban Missile Crisis: Putin is no Khrushchev

By Harlan Ullman

The 1962 Cuban Missile Crisis may offer some useful insights as Western leaders seek the right response to Russian President Vladimir Putin's recent nuclear saber-rattling over Ukraine, writes Harlan Ullman.

Conflict Disinformation

UkraineAlert

Nov 22, 2022

Putin’s peace ploy is a ruse to rearm

By Dennis Soltys

Russia is currently calling for a return to the negotiating table but Ukrainian leaders are convinced Vladimir Putin is merely seeking to buy time in order to regroup and rearm before the next phase of his invasion.

Conflict Disinformation

UkraineAlert

Nov 22, 2022

Ukraine must be allowed to strike back against targets inside Russia

By Ira Straus

In order to defeat Putin and end the war, Ukraine must be allowed to strike back inside Russia. At present, this is not possible due to restrictions imposed by Ukraine's overly cautious international allies, writes Ira Straus.

Arms Control Conflict

UkraineAlert

Nov 20, 2022

Putin’s invasion has strengthened the case for Ukrainian NATO membership

By Taras Kuzio

Vladimir Putin's ongoing invasion has highlighted the dangers of allowing Ukraine to exist in a geopolitical gray zone and strengthened arguments for the country's post-war NATO integration, writes Taras Kuzio.

Conflict Disinformation

UkraineAlert

Nov 17, 2022

Kherson euphoria highlights the folly of a premature peace with Putin

By Peter Dickinson

Footage of the euphoric scenes in liberated Kherson should be compulsory viewing for anyone who still believes in the possibility of a negotiated settlement between Ukraine and Russia, argues Peter Dickinson.

Civil Society Conflict

UkraineAlert

Nov 16, 2022

Ukrainian victory can deal a decisive blow to Russian imperialism

By Danylo Lubkivsky

Vladimir Putin's invasion of Ukraine is an attempt to drag the world back to an era of imperial aggression. The best way to make sure he fails is to provide Ukraine with the arms and financial support it needs to win the war.

Conflict Democratic Transitions
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