Russia's War Against Ukraine
OP-ED
Steven Pifer: Mid-September impressions from Kyiv
Approximately 150 volunteers of the volunteer Azov Battalion arrived in Kyiv on Sept. 15 from the war front in Ukraine's eastern regions as part of a troop rotation.
Ukraine clings to a shaky ceasefire, with uncertain prospects for a durable peace process ahead, leaving many in Kyiv unsure about what will happen next. While a marked sense of national identity has taken hold (thanks to Vladimir Putin), people express frustration that the government has done little on domestic reform. The Rada (parliament) elections are set for October 26. They hopefully will produce a coalition that can support an active government reform effort; the risk is that they will result in a divided, muddled body that will hinder Ukraine’s ability to meet the challenges before it.
