Ukraine

An independent, democratic and stable Ukraine is in America's interest and vital to the security of the OSCE region. Ukraine remains a country in transition, in part due to its tragic history. To visit the memorials to Stalin's famine, Babi Yar and Chornobyl, is a stark reminder of the history of Ukraine. Despite this legacy, especially since the 2004 Orange Revolution, there have been gains in political pluralism, media freedoms and holding of free and fair elections. Additionally, Ukraine is the only country among the 12 non-Baltic former Soviet states to earn the assessment of free by Freedom House. Ukraine faces a myriad challenges. Clearly, the President, along with the new Prime Minister and the Rada will need to accelerate economic and political reforms, tackle systematic corruption and overcome the rule of law deficits, including building up an underdeveloped judiciary. Will Ukraine, despite tangible progress and freedom and democracy, be able to move beyond the stalemate that has stymied its ability to grapple with these difficult problems and slow this euro- Atlantic integration?