Politics
Deputy Interior Minister Anton Gerashchenko has been called in as the government’s point person to protect journalists’ safety – a move that has sparked criticism as in 2016 Gerashckenko was linked to the release of the personal details of journalists’ who received accreditation to report in the Donbas as an intimidation tactic in 2016.
President Volodymyr Zelensky gathered ministry heads on Nov. 5 to set an ambitious agenda for the government to fulfill before the end of 2019 with the goal to improve Ukraine’s place in the IMF’s Doing Business rankings, which gauge attractiveness for investment. Ukraine is 64th of 190 countries.
Zelensky has also named a new freelance adviser – Andrew Mac, an American expert on cross-border deals with the United States and a partner at Asters, Ukraine’s biggest law firm. The Kyiv Post named Mac as one of Ukraine’s most influential foreigners in 2008.
Trump impeachment
Gordon Scondland, the U.S. ambassador to the European Union, reversed his earlier assertion that no quid pro quo took place in U.S. President Donald Trump’s dealings with Ukraine. Scondland submitted a 3-page addendum to his testimony in which he confirmed that American aid to Ukraine was indeed contingent on Ukraine’s willingness to announce an investigation into former American Vice President Joe Biden.
Ukraine’s military
President Volodymyr Zelensky expressed outrage after a visit to a UkrOboronProm military plant which has reportedly produced one tank in the last decade. UkrOboronProm has a monopoly on Ukraine’s military exports and has long been accused of corruption.
Opinion
Hayla Coynash: Solitary confinement for reporting on human rights abuse in Crimea
Aaron Blake: Is it Rudy Giuliani’s turn to go under the bus?
From the Archives
Kyiv Post 25th Anniversary Series: As President Volodymyr Zelensy lays out an ambitious set of goals for 2020 in the waning days of 2019 (so much to do, so little time), take a look back at our Dec. 2, 2016 issue, where we broke down Ukraine’s 2020 goals as they stood at the end of 2016. We argued that “Ukraine still has far to go to reach its 2020 goals” with reporting from that year’s Tiger Conference, where experts spoke on goals related to strengthening the military, developing a high-tech economy, recovering stolen assets and the need for effectual leaders not mired in corruption.
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