Section: Voice of America (USA)
From Potholes to Procurement: Ukraine’s Chronic Corruption Angers Voters
Tackling corruption is invariably among the issues Ukrainians cite as a top priority for the next president. Incumbent Petro Poroshenko and newcomer Volodymyr Zelenskiy face a final round runoff April 21. There are growing fears that government resolve is stalling after Ukraine’s Constitutional Court in February struck down a law against...
Eastern EU Initiative Possible Salve for Strained US-NATO Ties
This story originated in VOA’s Serbian service. WASHINGTON — Despite its “America First” policies and general drift toward disengagement from foreign commitments, the Trump administration appears to have found an international enterprise it likes. Known as the Three Seas Initiative, the four-year-old effort aims to enhance energy and...
Pence Tears Into Germany, Turkey on NATO Anniversary
Tensions soared Wednesday between the United States and two of its NATO partners, Germany and Turkey, as the alliance opened a 70th birthday celebration aimed at showing a united front against a resurgent Russia. Hours before foreign ministers from the 29-member Western alliance opened talks in Washington, Vice President Mike Pence delivered a...
Ukrainian Diaspora Voters Show Starkly Different Political Preferences for Kyiv
This story originated in VOA’s Ukrainian Service. Pete Cobus contributed to this report. LONDON – Ukrainians who live abroad strongly prefer sitting President Petro Poroshenko to other candidates in last weekend’s first-round presidential election, contradicting the choice of voters who reside within the eastern European nation....
NATO Celebrates 70th Anniversary, But Demands Rise For European Burden-Sharing
On April 4th, 2019, NATO members will mark the 70th anniversary of the signing of the North Atlantic Treaty — part of a successful effort to contain Soviet expansionism and to cajole the war-torn nations of Western Europe to forsake ancient enmities and to forge solidarity. But for the transatlantic alliance to continue, Europe will have to make...
Ukraine Set for Final Campaigns in Zelenskiy-Poroshenko Runoff
Ukraine is preparing for three weeks of impassioned political campaigning as a television comedian goes head-to-head with the incumbent for the presidency in a runoff scheduled for April 21. As widely predicted, satirist Volodymyr Zelenskiy easily won the first round of voting Sunday with around 30%. He needed a margin of more than 50% for an...
Ukraine Set for Brutal Final Campaigns in Zelenskiy-Poroshenko Runoff
Ukraine is preparing for three weeks of impassioned political campaigning, as a television comedian goes head-to-head with the incumbent for the presidency. As widely predicted, satirist Volodymyr Zelenskiy easily won the first round of voting Sunday with around 30% of the ballots. President Petro Poroshenko came in second with around 16%. As...
Ukraine’s Joker in the Pack Wins First Round
You could be forgiven for mistaking the first round in Ukraine’s presidential elections as an episode from a TV series — replete with established politicians being vanquished by a refreshing young upstart promising root-and-branch change. On Sunday, one of Ukraine’s most popular actors — best known for his role in a TV series about a...
Comedian, Incumbent Lead Ukraine Presidential Vote
With half of the ballots counted Monday, comedian Volodymyr Zelenskiy and incumbent Petro Poroshenko were leading in Ukraine’s presidential election. The Central Election Commission said Zelenskiy, a comedian who plays the role of the president in a television comedy series, was in first place with 30 percent of the vote. Poroshenko, who...
Zelenskiy Leads Incumbent Poroshenko in First Round of Ukraine’s Elections
Comedian and political novice Volodymyr Zelenskiy defeated incumbent president Petro Poroshenko in Ukraine’s first round of presidential elections, according to exit polls Sunday, leading the two candidates into a run-off election. Zelenskiy, a comedian who plays the role of the president in a television comedy series, was projected to win...
