Ukrainian Research Institute, Harvard University

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Exclusive: Ukraine, Russia are done with Steve Witkoff. Trump sees no problem

Kyiv and Moscow are growing increasingly frustrated with the U.S.-mediated peace process — and with Washington's Envoy Steve Witkoff, people familiar with the matter told the Kyiv Independent. Witkoff and Trump's son-in-law, Jared Kushner, who has emerged as a key peace negotiator, traveled to Russia and Ukraine in early September in an attempt to restart stalled negotiations. They left both countries with little to show for the effort. Behind the scenes, however, several separate efforts are

U.S. Special Envoy for Peace Missions Steve Witkoff in Kyiv, Ukraine, on Sept. 6, 2026.

As Russia targets Ukraine’s economy, keeping businesses alive takes priority

As Russian attacks on Ukraine's businesses escalate, the government's push to attract investment to Ukraine's wartime economy is coming up against a more immediate challenge: keeping businesses alive at all. "When the attacks started, we realized that the challenge was about more than raising investment. It's also about keeping supply chains and businesses going, like pharmacies, food and retail goods that are needed to survive," Deputy Economy Minister Yegor Perelygin told the Kyiv Independent

burning auto parts warehouse following an air attack in Kyiv, Ukraine, on Sept. 2, 2026.

Inside Russia's 2026 parliamentary election: Banned opposition, rigging, and war

A parliamentary election kicked off in Russia on Sept. 18 in what is expected to be a rubber-stamp ritual intended to legitimize President Vladimir Putin's rule. The election will be held over several days and will be completed on Sept. 20. The voting is taking place amid growing frustration among Russians with the war as its costs mount, and Ukraine intensifies drone strikes on Russian territory. However, there is little opportunity for voters to express their discontent since anti-war parti

Fact check: Zelensky's former press secretary says she speaks for Ukrainians. Her claims tell a different story

A Zelensky aide-turned-critic, Iuliia Mendel argues that the Kyiv leadership and its Western allies stand in the way of peace — and that she is the genuine Ukrainian voice to cut through the lies. Since her controversial appearance on U.S. podcaster Tucker Carlson's show in May, Zelensky's former press secretary has been increasingly accused of echoing Kremlin narratives, dressed up as a persecuted call for peace. She sought another chance to deliver her message to international audiences on S

Then-Press Secretary of the President Iuliia Mendel in Kyiv, Ukraine, on June 6, 2019.
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