Source: Peterson Institute

The state of governance in Ukraine today is the subject of widespread debate. Ukrainian and international observers have cited corruption, flaws in the October 2010 local elections, inappropriate actions by the Security Service of Ukraine, and prosecution of opposition political figures as evidence of democratic backsliding under Ukrainian President Viktor Yanukovych. The president and his government deny these charges, contending that centralizing some authority is required to bring about order, govern effectively, and implement difficult and overdue economic reforms. What is happening with the state of governance in Ukraine? How is it affecting the Ukrainian economy and Ukraine's foreign relations, particularly with Europe and the United States? And how should the West engage the Yanukovych government and Ukrainian civil society to protect democratic and market-oriented progress?

The Peterson Institute for International Economics, the Center on the United States and Europe at Brookings, and the Atlantic Council cohosted a conference to address these and related questions. Panels with leading American and European experts examined "The Challenges of Governance in Ukraine" and "The Impact on the Economy and Foreign Policy." Carnegie’s Olga Shumylo Tapiola participated in the panel focusing on the challenges of governance in Ukraine. She was joined by Andriy Fialko, Foreign Policy Advisor to the President of Ukraine, James Sherr of the Royal Institute for International Affairs, Damon Wilson of the Atlantic Council and Jorge Zukoski of American Chamber of Commerce in Ukraine.