12th September 2011
One of the best things about being an ambassador is the opportunity to meet a wide range of people. So I was delighted on 10 September to attend the Day of Physical Culture and Sport in Kyiv to talk about London 2012. Ukraine has a terrific sporting tradition and it was a privilege both to […]
30th August 2011
The wire is carefully concealed: stretched through the grass at ankle-height and attached at one end to a grenade. When a soldier’s boot connects with it there is a mighty explosion. Nearby, a military convoy is ambushed by enemy forces and a helicopter is called in to evacuate the wounded. Fortunately, this is a military […]
29th June 2011
How important is it that Ukraine clears away a major source of corruption? An apparently obscure piece of legislation offers a useful insight into the challenges facing the way Ukraine’s system of governance works; and a good indication of whether Ukrainian governance is improving. The Ukrainian government agreed in 2010 to adopt a public procurement […]
3rd May 2011
How can the Rada, the Ukrainian parliament, best ensure that it meets the democratic aspirations of the Ukrainian people? I’ve blogged before about the unfortunate propensity of members of the Rada to settle disputes by physical violence – inside the chamber – rather than by debate. When I noted recently with approval that there hadn’t […]
3rd March 2011
What single thing could the Ukrainian authorities do to show foreign and domestic businesses that they are serious about improving the business climate? Ukraine faces a daunting list of reforms needed to create a business environment to stimulate foreign direct investment (FDI). The authorities have announced welcome steps to tackle corruption, remove over-regulation and reform […]
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25th November 2010
Sports of all kinds are popular in Ukraine. I’ve blogged before about that fact that at my 1:1 lunches, some of Ukraine’s top decision-makers are ready to have a quick game of table-tennis (a trend which continues – Ed) and about Kyiv’s fishing frenzy. So it’s an honour to have to lunch at the residence […]