Articles :

Russia’s hybrid aggression against Ukraine generates hybrid attempts on the part of the Kremlin to resolve this conflict. The whole world can already observe in Abkhazia, South Ossetia and Transnistria who “peacekeepers” are in Russian understanding. Does Ukraine need such "peacekeepers"? A rhetorical question, indeed...

Petro Poroshenko is trying to cover different parts of Ukraine with his working trips. Volodymyr Groysman has stocked up on some patience ahead of possible autumn shocks. The bill on the future de-occupation of Donbas remains closed to the public.

Independence Day Parade in Kyiv showed just how significantly the Ukrainian army has changed. A newly-installed TV tower in Bakhmutivka the Ukrainian government restored TV broadcasts across the areas of Luhansk region temporarily controlled by pro-Russian terrorists. Rada Speaker Andriy Parubiy vowed "autumn reforms" in Parliament. A road accident involving Petro Dyminsky and Nestor Shufrich, Jr. expectedly sparked public outcry.

Yulia Tymoshenko with her hasty Facebook comment complicated her entry into the new political season. Mikheil Saakashvili continues to show serious intentions to return to Ukraine. Vitaly Shabunin publicly tried on himself the role of "mind, dignity, and conscience" of all anti-graft activists. SBU revealed the criminal plot of the FSB against former ATO fighters, at the same time remaining impotent against the Russian Center for Science and Culture in Kyiv.

Andriy Reva's statement has not only overshadowed the resignation of Wojciech Balczun but also created an information background for the start of a new political season. Viktor Muzhenko spoke about the peculiarities of the situation in Donbas. Mikheil Saakashvili continues to demonstrate his own worth in the European countries friendly to Ukraine. NABU showed that they keep working without days off and holidays.

Contacts between Washington and Moscow are no end of the world for Ukraine. The Russian president is trying to combine pre-election steps and the desire to find common language with Trump administration. Witold Waszczykowski confirmed Warsaw's general line for mentoring dialogue in a bilateral dialogue. U.S. Marines launched construction of the Ukrainian Navy’s operational control center. Angela Merkel is on the path to another victory in the election of the German Chancellor.

An acclaimed Russian poet and TV host Dmitry Bykov in an interview with UNIAN compared the events in Odesa on May 2, 2014, with the Beslan tragedy, told readers why he considered Odesa a city of tragic fate, and with whom of the Ukrainian poets he would sit down to have a talk.

The flight of the head of state aboard a MiG-29 fighter jet stirred an ambiguous reaction in social networks. The prime minister focused on resuscitation of river transport. PG Yuriy Lutsenko used his chance to remind of himself during parliamentary holidays. Former Georgian President Mikheil Saakashvili continues to promote his craving to defend his Ukrainian citizenship.

The signing by Donald Trump of the Russia Sanctions Act, which formalized the new "axis of evil," and the trip of Mike Pence to the U.S. allies have laid out Washington's foreign policy priorities. The European Union has pondered an asymmetric response to the U.S. move against Russia. Moldova announced the vice-premier of Russia persona non grata.

Vice Speaker of the Verkhovna Rada, a Ukraine’s representative to the Trilateral Contact Group Iryna Gerashchenko in the second part of the interview with UNIAN has recalled how took a British Lord to the frontline village of Pisky, how limitations of immunity will cleanse the parliament of businessmen, and why visiting Donbas and doing something for Donbas are two different things.

The loss by Mikheil Saakashvili of his Ukrainian citizenship became the main political news of the past week. Prime Minister Volodymyr Groysman plans to combine pleasant news for the budget with some useful things for the country. The selection of the new judges of the Supreme Court has completed. The processions of the different Orthodox patriarchies reminded of the expediency of creating an independent local Orthodox church in Ukraine.

Phone talks of the Normandy Four leaders confirmed that it would be very difficult to revive this format of negotiations. Donald Trump used Ukraine factor in the internal political struggle. The U.S. Congress came up with a new “axis of evil,” including Russia. The Moldovan authorities boosted their principled stance toward the Kremlin.

Russia is prudently escalating the situation in Donbas, while trying to remain publicly beyond the conflict. Volodymyr Groysman spoke about the country’s overhaul by his government. Arseniy Yatsenyuk called for a balance in power, reminding of his own political ambitions. Yuriy Lutsenko publicly criticized his subordinates in Dnipro. Against the backdrop of the parliamentary holidays, several parties tried to show off their activity.

Both the anniversary of the MH17 crash and the jubilee of the formal end of the conflict in Transnistria saw certain follow-ups this week . Ukraine and Georgia intend to boost cooperation, having declared strategic partnership. Alexander Lukashenko's visit to Kyiv did not go without incidents. Zakharchenko’s desire to establish "Malorossiya" looks both intoxicated chatter and part of the Kremlin's plan. Poland is looking into analogies between the current protests in Warsaw and the Ukrainian Maidan.

Rex Tillerson became the first high-ranking official from Donald Trump administration to visit Ukraine. Kurt Volker shaped his idea of Ukraine through a series of meetings in Kyiv. Jens Stoltenberg stressed that NATO's doors remain open to Ukraine. The Ukraine-EU summit was held without a final declaration. Russia showed its unscrupulousness to long-time partners from Siemens.

Freshly appointed U.S. Special Envoy on Ukraine settlement Kurt Volker wasted no time and took on a visit to Ukraine as part of the delegation led by State Secretary Rex Tillerson, to familiarize himself with the situation on the ground. Obviously the challenges he will be facing differ from those which his predecessor Victoria Nuland had to deal with.

The Verkhovna Rada Regulations Committee demonstrated that the cover-up in the Ukrainian parliament has no factional or political coloring. The prime minister and leading members of the government persuaded Ukraine’s partners in London that the reforms were continuing. Viktor Yanukovych recalled his defense team from his treason trial. Former drug enforcement chief Ilya Kiva declared himself a new leader of the Socialist Party of Ukraine.

Foreign Minister of Ukraine's strategic partner state continued the anti-Ukrainian line of his fellow party members. Warsaw felt it was becoming Washington’s leading partner in Europe and will try to play this card. The Ukrainian government in London reported on the reforms carried out and spoke on future transformation. Stratcom Dialogue was held in Riga. The G20 summit is “speaking” with a Ukrainian accent. Ahead of Rex Tillerson’s visit to Kyiv he appointed a special envoy on Ukraine.

Ahead of the Ukraine visit of the North Atlantic Council, NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg in an exclusive interview with UNIAN spoke about the reason for an eight-year pause since the NAC’s latest visit, about his vision of Ukraine’s prospects of joining the Alliance, and why NATO, despite having halted practical cooperation with Russia, retains political channels open.

On the sidelines of the G20 summit in Hamburg July 7, a meeting of the presidents of the United States and Russia has been announced. While the Kremlin is struggling to present the talks as a landmark event, Trump has already sent quite an unpleasant signal to Putin in his appeal to cease Russia’s “destabilizing activities in Ukraine and elsewhere."