Mental Abyss

Ukraine is mysterious and full of surprises country. Let’s face it. Then it will become easier to tolerate some things – For instance, public statements by Ukrainian top officials. Otherwise, they seem to be living in a different world which has nothing to do with the problems and the needs of average Ukrainians, or they might just be jeering their voters

The Weak Union

The future of the United Kingdom has been thrown into doubt by elections that have swept into office Scottish nationalists committed to independence for Scotland, ending 300 years of union with England.

New Gas Performance

After the Kharkiv treaties were signed, the issue of gas and the price of the fuel, which traditionally dominated Ukrainian-Russian relations, receded into the background. The current government has lamented the bad inheritance it received from the previous Prime Minister, Yulia Tymoshenko, but was at the same time content to receive its “discount” from the Kremlin

Ukraine's Domestic and Foreign Affairs: Quo Vadis?

Is Ukraine moving towards the sunlit uplands of stability, democracy and prosperity? Or is it moving toward authoritarianism and sclerosis of economic reforms? In 20 years will Ukraine be as rich as Poland is now? Or still the third poorest country in Europe? No doubt by the end of this conference we will have answered these questions entirely to our satisfaction

If Not Merger, Then Acquisition

The Government is preparing to sell 25% of NAK Naftogaz Ukrayiny shares, but that is just part of a global game

Events in Libya and the “moral leadership” of the West

The policies of the Western countries aimed at promoting democratic values are not always tied to the consistent defense of those fighting for these same values under difficult circumstances

Donbas: The Old New Year

It is hard to imagine what would force the local population to abandon its traditional views on life, country and the nature of power

Searching for the Europe of Czeslaw Milosz

2011 is the year of Czeslaw Milosz (1911–2004). The centenary of the greatest modern Polish poet allows us a glimpse of Eastern and Central Europe at the beginning of the twenty-first century

Nuclear Dilemma

Japanese nuclear engineers have finally succeeded in plugging the damaged reactor at Fukushima, stopping the deadly leak of radioactive water into the seas off the tsunami-devastated coastline. But they have not been able to plug the huge drain of confidence from nuclear energy around the world, which has forced governments to cut by half their projections for future nuclear generating capacity by 2035

Reforms and disorder

The government is churning out unlawful laws and calling them “reforms”