On Tuesday, July 29th, the Dinu Patriciu Eurasia Center hosted an off-the-record private strategy session on the impact of corruption in Ukraine, Georgia, and Moldova, co-organized with the Legatum Institute of London, and the Institute of Modern Russia at the Atlantic Council. The session featured discussants Oliver Bullough, award winning journalist and author; Peter Pomerantsev, writer and television producer; Olga Khvostunova, journalist and Editor-in-chief at the Institute of Modern Russia; and Anne Applebaum, Director of the Transitions Forum at the Legatum Institute. The discussion was moderated by Atlantic Council Executive Vice President, Damon Wilson.
As countries like Ukraine, Georgia, and Moldova continue their quest for democracy and rule of law, they face the challenge of succeeding where past revolutions have failed and eliminating the lingering features of Soviet-style governance. This event proved to be a stimulating discussion on the measures necessary to address issues of corruption in transitioning democracies. Topics included the effectiveness of various solutions, as well as best practices in managing regional corruption alongside country-specific NATO aspirations. In addition to these salient regional issues, the strategy session had a broader continental focus, which also considered how the United States could galvanize Europe and continue supporting these pivotal issues. With the question of EU membership looming large for countries like Ukraine, this session took place at a critical juncture in transatlantic relations.