The Council on Foreign Relations (CFR) published an article by Thomas Graham, claiming Ukraine has made little progress in democratic rule since 1991. However, several experts and commentators, including Michael McFaul and Amb. Dan Fried, refute this claim, citing Ukraine's competitive elections and peaceful changes in leadership as evidence of democratic progress. They argue that Ukraine has made significant strides, especially since 2014, despite challenges and Russian aggression. The article has sparked controversy and criticism from various experts and commentators.
Why does the Council on Foreign Relations publish anything by Thomas Graham on Ukraine? He knows nothing about that country, while he is arguably the most pro-Putin among US experts on Russia. He advised Bush to nurture Putin & accepts Putin’s imperialism. https://t.co/DoHG9h4TlO
After being called out here rightly for not reading the piece. I have now read the piece, and still make the same claim. The evidence to support this hypothesis referenced in the article was not convincing & stands at odds with a lot of serious academic research on Ukraine. https://t.co/SwRNPJSNQ0
This analysis misses important facts about #ukraine democracy. Here is an alternative view by @Joanna_Szostek https://t.co/g0DiuA64aj https://t.co/UGHv24wcv6
Ukraine's made huge democratic strides since its independence, especially since 2014 and despite a decade of relentless Russian war. NB: 6 elected presidents; only 1 reelected. The article, which makes many the same tired arguments while ignoring important context, is horse pucky https://t.co/ja9QpU7Lq7
Ukraine’s democracy faces challenges but to argue that its democracy has made insignificant progress since 1991 is mere polemic. https://t.co/8okp0i7ib7
Ukraine has held a number of competitive elections since independence in 1991 that resulted in peaceful changes of leadership between political rivals. That is one empirical measure of democracy. (Russia cannot say the same.) https://t.co/vW552iLVWG
Anyone who has actually studied Ukraine knows that Ukraine today is much more democratic today than in 2001, or 2003, or 2010, or 2013, or even 2019. The details matter. To suggest no change in 30 years is ignoring many details. https://t.co/eOIDQ97knQ
I don’t have time to read this article. But the “hypothesis” that Ukraine has made “no” progress towards democracy since 1991 is not supported by any empirical data. (Dr. Graham has never conducted any serious research on Ukraine’s political system) https://t.co/5hB0VSEDkG
This piece by Tom Graham is actually quite sensible. The @CFR_org's tweet about it is unhelpful, though: Ukraine has consistently been a stable, competitive democracy for more than three decades since independence. https://t.co/E4bpSMNKyT
Despite its current self-image as a brave defender of the West’s freedom against Russia’s imperialist aggression, Ukraine has in fact made little progress in consolidating democratic rule since it gained independence in 1991, writes Thomas Graham. https://t.co/uFXKgVQSL0