How Russia and Ukraine are Handling the Global Economic Crisis

Featuring: Andrew C. Kuchins

At a conference hosted at CSIS on November 5, 2009 in conjunction with the Eurasia Foundation, Sergei Guriev, Rector at the New Economic School in Moscow, and Valentin Zelenyuk of the Kiev School of Economics, shared their insights on Russia and Ukraine’s handling of the global economic crisis. Both speakers are the recipients of the 2009 Bill Maynes Award. The economic circumstances leading up to the crisis in Russia and Ukraine, as well as the macroeconomic tools used to counteract the dramatic fall, were discussed in detail. Their insights underscored each country’s commitment to eliminating corruption and other barriers which prohibit global integration and partnership.

The conference concluded with projections given by Guriev and Zelenyuk regarding Russia and Ukraine’s economic prospects for 2010 and the anticipated performance of these economies for the remainder of 2009.