Commentary & Analysis

Containing the Kremlin: Why the West must rethink policy towards a revisionist Russia

By Oleksii Reznikov

After more than five years of deadlock in Russia-Ukraine peace talks, it is obvious that fresh approaches are needed in order to end the war on Europe’s eastern frontier and contain the Kremlin.

Ukrainian resorts see 30% growth as coronavirus crisis boosts domestic tourism

By Peter Dickinson

With international travel still heavily restricted due to the ongoing coronavirus crisis, Ukraine’s Black Sea holiday resorts are experiencing a major boost as Ukrainians spend their vacations closer to home.

Ambassador Fried testifies to House Committee on Foreign Affairs on exposing and demanding accountability for Kremlin crimes abroad

Exposing and demanding accountability for Kremlin crimes abroad

Czar Putin wants a new age of empires

By Nataliia Popovych and Danylo Lubkivsky

In both word and deed, Putin has made it clear that he rejects today’s rules-based international order and seeks to reverse the verdict of 1991. His vision for a new age of empires represents an existential challenge to the West.

Minsk Maidan? Belarus facing summer of discontent

By Victor Tregubov

Belarus has been an international backwater for much of the past 25 years, but it may soon find itself thrust into the geopolitical spotlight as tensions mount ahead of the country’s August 9 presidential election.

Analysis: Ukraine’s central bank governor quits post citing “political pressure”

By Peter Dickinson

National Bank of Ukraine (NBU) Governor Yakiv Smolii submitted his resignation on July 1 in what was widely seen as a major blow to Ukraine’s reform agenda. What does this mean for the country’s future direction?

Ukraine’s central bank chief resigns leaving Zelenskyy’s reform credentials in tatters

By Anders Åslund

Ukraine’s reform agenda suffered a serious blow on July 1 when Yakiv Smolii, the highly respected governor of the National Bank of Ukraine (NBU), resigned due to what he called “systematic political pressure.”

Ukraine’s powerful Interior Minister Avakov under fire over police reform failures

By Liliane Bivings

Ukraine’s post-2014 police reforms were initially hailed as a success but have since unraveled alarmingly. Many now blame powerful Interior Minister Arsen Avakov for blocking genuine law enforcement reform.

How fake news helped hide Soviet genocide in Ukraine

By Georgiy Kent

Stalin’s man-made famine in 1930s Ukraine ranks as one of the worst crimes of the twentieth century but it remains relatively unknown. The new movie “Mr. Jones” seeks to counter decades of disinformation.

How revelations of Russian bounties in Afghanistan could escalate the US-Russia feud

By David A. Wemer

“The United States and its democratic allies have options,” to push back against Moscow, but they must “think through the challenge with care and in context of the larger challenge Putin poses for us,” Daniel Fried says.