Culture

Culture Minister Tetyana Berezhna in Kyiv, Ukraine on April 21, 2026.
Culture

Ukraine's culture minister on why culture 'needs KPIs' to succeed

by Kate Tsurkan

Since Russia launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine, the country's culture has finally received the attention it had previously lacked. But Culture Minister Tetyana Berezhna aims for more than mere survival — she envisions a cultural sphere that thrives and becomes a major economic driver for Ukraine. In a conversation with the Kyiv Independent, Berezhna explains why culture needs measurable goals to succeed both nationally and internationally, how her experience in law, economics, and go

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Scandal shadows Ukraine's top negotiator with US — but allies say trust holds for now

Newly released recordings linked to Ukraine's biggest corruption scandal have put Rustem Umerov, secretary of the National Security and Defense Council, back in the spotlight, sparking renewed scrutiny over his involvement in the U.S.-brokered peace negotiations. The renewed scrutiny comes at a sensitive moment. Umerov, a former defense minister, has not been formally charged but is allegedly under investigation. He is reportedly mentioned in the most recent set of leaked recordings, tying him

Rustem Umerov, Secretary of the National Security and Defense Council of Ukraine, in Kyiv, Ukraine, on March 3, 2026.

Ukraine condemns Egypt for allowing transit of stolen grain

"Ukraine is a country that has played the role of a reliable food security guarantor for Egypt for many years — and we don't understand why Egyptian partners pay us back by continuing to accept stolen Ukrainian grain," Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha wrote.

About Culture

Our reporting on literature, films, art, and traditions from Ukraine and the latest news on culture in Eastern Europe.

Ukrainian culture
Ukrainian culture has survived centuries of Russian attempts to appropriate Ukrainian art, silence Ukrainian artists, and erase the Ukrainian language. Modern Ukrainian writers, filmmakers, and musicians — some of whom are serving on the front lines — continue to develop Ukrainian culture and fight for Ukraine’s future.
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