Ukraine
Reports on Ukraine See all →
Ukraine: Assessing President Zelenskiy’s first year
With Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy having been in office for more than a year, now is an opportune time to measure his progress in solving his country’s problems. So far, the optics have outshined the actual accomplishments. Several black swan events, top among them the Covid-19 outbreak, have proven enormous hurdles. As his term moves forward, President Zelenskiy will have to make real strides toward ending the war in Donbas and reining in oligarchs’ power, or the country could descend further into dysfunction.
Ukraine moves to liberalize its farmland market
Ukraine’s potential as a major international player in agricultural production was held back for nearly 20 years by a ban on land sales. The restrictions have been relaxed by parliament, in large part due to pressures from the West. A gradual market liberalization is now planned. The country’s economic future ...
Russian rail: Behind the curve
With its vast expanses, its undeveloped areas and its need to connect east and west, one might think Russia would have ample incentive to develop a world-class rail system. But that has not happened, even after it agreed to work with China on an ambitious Moscow-to-Beijing rail project. Bureaucracy, corruption ...
An opportunity to solve the Russia-West and Ukraine conundrum
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy’s party took the largest share of votes in the country’s parliamentary elections, paving the way for him to initiate a new dialogue with Russia. For the West, it presents an opportunity to ratchet down tensions with Moscow and even normalize relations. The alternative – battered economies, ...
GIS Dossier: Corruption and the global balance of power
Corruption can be a catalyst for political change, as in Latin America, or the basis of a rent-seeking regime, as in Russia. But in rare instances, it can also affect the ebb and flow of global geopolitics. This is clearly evident on the rim of the former Soviet Union, where ...
