Section: Atlantic Council (USA)
The Painful Journeys of Ukraine’s IDPs
Two years ago this past April, the words “internal displacement” first appeared in the Ukrainian media. The term was brought by UN agencies that, along with local nongovernmental organizations, worked on a legal framework to regulate the phenomenon, which was completely new to Ukraine. Before then, journalists, volunteers, and even government...
Germany’s Socialists, Russia’s Fascism, and Ukrainian Deaths
On June 15, Ukraine’s Minister of Defense Stepan Poltorak informed NATO that Ukraine had suffered 623 battle deaths in its war with Russia in 2016.This astoundingly large figure—which amounts to three to four deaths per day—demonstrates conclusively that Russia and its proxies have no intention whatsoever of adhering to the Minsk...
The West Was Wrong about Ukraine’s New Government
It is too early to draw firm conclusions, but Prime Minister Volodymyr Groisman’s and Prosecutor General Yuriy Lutsenko’s early moves indicate that Ukraine is still on the reform path.There was understandable pessimism when Groisman assumed office in April with a new government that did not include the previous cabinet’s...
Ukraine’s New Reform Plan Is Better but Not Radical Enough
Two months ago, the Ukrainian parliament appointed Volodymyr Groisman as the country’s new prime minister. “I will show you how the country should be managed,” he said in his appointment speech. Groisman’s predecessor Arseniy Yatsenyuk was widely criticized for lacking a detailed action plan, so the new prime minister began managing...
Ukraine’s Grassroots Transformation of Education
In today’s globalized world, education is perhaps the greatest challenge in a developing country. To keep pace with new technology and innovation, young people must possess not only basic skills but also be proactive, creative, innovative, and able to adjust quickly.According to the New Vision for Education report compiled at the World...
Counting Sheep Is Courageous, Soulful, and Important: A Review
“Counting Sheep” is a “guerrilla folk opera” that guides audiences on an immersive and soulful journey through Ukraine’s Revolution of Dignity.Its creators are Mark and Marichka Marczyk who met and fell in love in Kyiv during the protests of 2013 and 2014. Mark is a talented Canadian musician of Ukrainian heritage and Marichka Kudriavtseva...
Ukraine’s Oligarchs Own the Media, but Public Broadcasting is Shaking Things Up
Last year, after years of debate and lobbying on the issue, public broadcasting was established in Ukraine. In a country suffering from a serious crisis of trust in the media, it looked like a chance to regain people’s faith.The dramatic decline in citizens’ trust in media started in 2014, when central Ukrainian TV channels first...
Great Expectations: Aspirant Nations See NATO Enlargement as Vital to Europe’s Stability
NATO membership for countries in the Balkans and for Georgia is crucial for the stability of Europe and will send a clear signal that Russia does not have a veto over the alliance’s enlargement plans, panelists, including officials from Macedonia and Georgia, said at the Atlantic Council on June 8. “The accession process into NATO has...
Ukraine’s Next Big Reform You Haven’t Heard of Yet
Ukraine watchers know all too well that for every success reported about the country, there are numerous setbacks. Yet there are encouraging signs currently occurring within the reform process, particularly at the local level.Perhaps the most successful reform is quietly taking place outside of Kyiv, and has the potential to reinvigorate civic...
Civil Society Gives Ukraine’s New Prime Minister Positive Marks
During almost eight weeks in office, Ukrainian Prime Minister Volodymyr Groisman has inspired largely negative reactions from Western analysts. Noting Groisman’s close relationship with President Petro Poroshenko, observers fret the young prime minister will merely function as a yes-man. His appointment was variously described as “same old,...
