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Taras Kuzio

Also by Taras Kuzio

September 12, 2011
Yanukovych's Selective Use Of Justice

Barring an unlikely reprieve, it now looks certain former Ukrainian Prime Minister Yulia Tymoshenko can expect a lengthy prison sentence. Yet prison bars will not silence her or those campaigning for freedom and democracy in Ukraine; a realization that is now dawning on authoritarian President Viktor Yanukovych.
June 07, 2011
Yanukovych Relies On Soviet Nationalism To Stay In Power

During, and since the 2004 presidential elections, the inciting of inter-regional conflict has been a strategy forged by Ukrainian and Russian political consultants (“technologists”) working for Yanukovych and the Party of Regions to ensure they remain in power.
May 18, 2011
Ukrainian Politicians Put The Squeeze On Civil Society

The Soviet Union used to propagate the notion that dissidents were funded by Western intelligence agencies. Today, those same (now, post-Soviet) elites, push an updated version of this notion, by arguing that their opponents work with Western foundations and NGOs to foment democratic “revolutions.”
March 31, 2011
Leaked Cables Show U.S. Was Wrong On Ukraine's Yanukovych

Diplomatic cables leaked from the U.S. Embassy in Ukraine by the WikiLeaks website show the embassy believed prior to the 2010 presidential election that Viktor Yanukovych had changed and that he was a better option than Yulia Tymoshenko. Both of these positions were fundamentally wrong, says Taras Kuzio.
February 15, 2011
How To Turn A 'Partly Free' Ukraine Into A 'Not Free' Ukraine

Ukrainian President Viktor Yanukovych refuses to acknowledge that democratic regression is taking place on his watch and, in this, he is similar to former President Leonid Kuchma. But in certain areas it's worse under Yanukovych than it was under Kuchma.
December 28, 2010
Ukraine Can't Combine Putinism And European Integration

Ukraine's leaders seem to be intent on moving forward with their plans to establish a managed democracy, one aspect of which is the removal of the main opposition force led by Yulia Tymoshenko. But their belief they can successfully unite Putinism with European integration is fatally flawed.
November 22, 2010
Ukrainian Democracy Will Be Built By Deeds, Not Pronouncements

Ukraine held two elections in 2010: the February presidential election under Viktor Yushchenko and the October local elections under Viktor Yanukovych. The first was deemed free by international observers, while the second was not.
May 25, 2010
New Ukrainian Foundation Puts People First

A new home-grown nonpolitical foundation in Ukraine is seeking to build democracy through civic participation, broad-based dialogue, and the strengthening of national rather than regional identity.
April 16, 2010
Ukraine's Fractured Opposition Looks Back To 2004

The last time Ukraine faced a slide toward authoritarianism led by the president, in 2004, the opposition united to counteract it. Can the opposition do the same this time around?
November 13, 2009
Ukraine's Presidential Hopefuls Lay Out Their Programs

The 18 candidates who have been registered for Ukraine's presidential election in January can be divided into three tiers. It's interesting to take a look at the domestic- and foreign-policy programs of the first- and second-tier candidates.
October 19, 2009
Western Region Could Decide Presidential Vote

Ukraine's three-month election campaign has begun, after what is widely seen as five years of missed opportunities under incumbent President Viktor Yushchenko. Past presidential elections have been a contest for control of the "swing" region of central Ukraine. For the first time, western Ukraine will play a strategic role in deciding the winner.
June 26, 2009
Constitutional Rows Leave Ukraine In 'Legal Turmoil'

Between 1996 and 2006, Ukraine has switched from a semi-parliamentary to a semi-presidential system, but neither model yielded political stability. If Ukraine really wants such stability, it needs to opt either for a full presidential or a full parliamentary system.
May 22, 2009
Can Yatsenyuk Reunite Ukraine's Orange Coalition?

Arseniy Yatsenyuk, a former parliament speaker and foreign minister of Ukraine, turns 35 on May 22, clearing the way for him to run as a candidate in the January 2010 presidential elections. Now it is time for him to begin considering his campaign tactics, and he faces three choices.
April 29, 2009
Russian Caught In Spanish Legal Nightmare

Spain has taken on a daunting task -- coming to grips with Russian organized crime in its midst. But its heavy-handed tactics in one case hint at a zeal for results that trumps considerations of due process, and law-based societies should uphold a higher standard.

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