Editor's Note: After this op-ed was published, the Kyiv Independent launched a fundraiser to save three Ukrainian newsrooms that suffered from the aid freeze. It probably made sense on paper. In his first week in office, U.S. President Donald Trump ordered a 90–day freeze on U.S. foreign
You probably already know that Russia’s war against Ukraine should have stopped this week. That is, if we were to take seriously the self-imposed deadline U.S. President-elect Donald Trump advertised during the campaign. He said that the war can and should be “stopped” or “settled” within 24 hours,
Episode 1 of Season 2 is dedicated to the recent attacks against journalists in Ukraine and the country's press freedom over the years.
Editor's Note: This story initially mistakenly said that President Volodymyr Zelensky and Commander-in-Chief Valerii Zaluzhnyi haven't been seen together in public in two months. It was corrected since the two were seen together in public more recently. After successfully taking Ukraine through the initial stages of the all-out war, President
Gael Veyssiere (Gaël Veyssière) started his work as French ambassador to Ukraine in August 2023, having previously served as the ambassador to Croatia. He succeeded Etienne de Poncins, who was moved to a posting in Poland after serving as the ambassador in Ukraine for four years. Veyssiere arrived in Ukraine
Ukraine is now one step closer to its strategic goal of becoming a member of the European Union. On Nov. 8, the European Commission published its annual enlargement report. In it, the commission confirmed that Ukraine had completed enough of the steps laid out in seven recommendations it received from
The Kyiv Independent interviewed retired U.S. General David Petraeus on the sidelines of a security conference held by the Cipher Brief in Kyiv on May 31. Petraeus is a four-star U.S. general who has commanded two wars. He has headed multinational forces in Iraq and Afghanistan, and has
Earlier in the day, the regional governor reported that Russian attacks had injured five civilians in Donetsk Oblast over the past 24 hours.
Editor’s note: The Kyiv Independent asked Michael Kofman, military analyst and Research Program Director in the Russia Studies Program at CNA, to comment on what retaking Kherson means for the future of the war. Watch Michael Kofman speak at the panel discussion that took place in Kyiv on Oct.
Ukraine’s successful counteroffensive in Kharkiv Oblast has changed how the world thinks about the war, according to U.S. Lieutenant General (Ret.) Ben Hodges. Hodges, who served as commander of U.S. Army Europe from 2014-2017 and has helped train Ukrainian soldiers, said the operation ended “the mythology of
Here's what we know so far about Zelensky's biggest reshuffle of top officials in two years.
At the toughest moment in the history of relations between Ukraine and Belarus, the Kyiv Independent sat down to speak with Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya, the leader of the Belarus opposition in exile. Back in 2020, Tsikhanouskaya contested Belarusian dictator Alexander Lukashenko in the presidential election. There is evidence that the election
As towns of Bucha and Irpin were retaken from withdrawing Russian forces, horrific photos and videos began to flow in. Ruined houses, burned-down cars, and bodies of civilians scattered around the streets. The photos appear to prove that the Russian forces carried out targeted, organized killings of civilians in Bucha,
Editor's Note: Chargé d’Affaires Kristina Kvien has served as acting United States ambassador to Ukraine since January 2020. A week into Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine, the Kyiv Independent talked to U.S. Chargé d’Affaires Kristina Kvien about sanctions, Ukrainians courage and a no-fly zone over Ukraine.
The leadership of Ukraine is open to negotiations with Russia and the sides are now discussing the place and time.
Officials in Kyiv reacted to U.S. President Joe Biden's Jan. 19 statement that Russia's "minor incursion" into Ukraine would provoke a different response to a full-scale invasion. Responding to Biden's remarks, President Volodymyr Zelensky wrote on Twitter that there was no such thing as a minor incursion when it
Ex-President Petro Poroshenko returned to Ukraine on Jan. 17 after a one-month absence. He is facing arrest in a treason case. Poroshenko left Ukraine promptly on Dec. 18, after the State Investigation Bureau detectives tried to hand him a summons. Two days later, he was charged with high treason. Poroshenko
Ukraine has begun offering booster doses of Covid-19 vaccine for citizens aged 60 and over. The booster doses will become available six months after completing vaccination. Earlier, Ukraine was offering booster doses only to doctors and staff of senior care facilities, having only authorized them on Dec. 22. As of
