Kennan Cable No. 30: Democracy in Ukraine: Are We There Yet?
Introduction More than a quarter century ago, the Ukrainian people made a historic choice in favor of independence, democracy, and the free market. Their vision of a fully sovereign, democratic, and prosperous state has been only partially fulfilled. While Ukraine is a clearly established polity with internationally recognized sovereignty, it is...
US Allies Should Back President Trump
Donald Trump, photo by Gage Skidmore via Flickr CCBESA Center Perspectives Paper No. 726, January 28, 2018 EXECUTIVE SUMMARY: Donald J. Trump is facing unprecedented criticism one year into his term as president of the world’s greatest power. The allies of the US can assist him by making clear how much he has advanced American foreign...
Watch List: Jan. 30, 2018
The items listed below represent potential emerging issues that our analysts are tracking. These can be long term or short term, but will be updated daily. If an item on our Watch List becomes critical, we will email you a full analysis explaining its significance. Each Saturday, we will follow up our daily Watch List for each week with our...
Russia deploys armed police and dogs in new offensive against Crimea Solidarity
In the latest attack on the Crimea Solidarity civic initiative, a huge contingent of Russian OMON riot police have disrupted the monthly meeting held to discuss ways of helping political prisoners and their families. There was no real attempt to come up with a credible reason for what was clearly an attempt at intimidation – one that...
Germany and the US, Springing to Inaction
By Jacob L. Shapiro Germany – the beating heart of Europe, one of the four largest economies in the world, a country helmed by an entrenched, established and respected politician – can’t seem to muster a government. It’s been 129 days since it had one. Now, to be fair, this isn’t uncommon among Europe’s parliamentary...
Anti-corruption groups question motives for prosecution of YouControl open access firm
A number of Ukrainian anti-corruption NGOs, including Transparency International in Ukraine, have expressed concern over the criminal proceedings against YouControl and its founder Serhiy Milman which they view as pressure on an open access firm providing invaluable assistance to anti-corruption campaigners and journalists. …read more...
Head of EBRD Discusses Reform With Ukraine President
Reforms, independent anti-corruption institutions, tax changes: these are just a few things that the new government in Ukraine is undertaking to improve the climate for potential investors. Ukraine’s President Petro Poroshenko is confident his country will significantly improve its World Bank Doing Business ranking very soon. “We are ranked...
Far-right vigilantes imposing ‘Ukrainian order’ are strange partners for Ukraine’s National Police
So-called ‘National Militia Units’ are promising to ‘establish Ukrainian order” on the streets of Kyiv, seemingly in cooperation with Ukraine’s National Police. Assurances from the Interior Ministry cannot allay concerns about police collaboration with an organization which has on many occasions demonstrated intolerance towards...
The Kremlin’s Shifting, Self-Contradicting Narratives on MH17
Just a few hours after the downing of Malaysian Airlines Flight 17 (MH17), the circumstances that caused the tragedy came to light: a Buk-M1 Russian-made anti-aircraft missile system was fired by either Russian-led separatists or Russian forces from an area near Snizhne, Ukraine, leading to the death of 298 civilians aboard the passenger plane....
In Syria, an Attack on Russia’s Narrative
By Jacob L. Shapiro It has been less than a month since President Vladimir Putin declared a successful end to Russia’s intervention in the Syrian civil war and announced the imminent withdrawal of Russian forces from the country. Not even a fortnight later, Islamist militants conducted a deadly mortar attack against Russian forces in Syria....
