Profile
Petr Kopka

Biography
Petr Kopka is the head of research programs at the Center for Operational Strategic Analysis (COSA). In 2003, he was the acting head of the Foreign Intelligence Service of Ukraine and founder of the Analytical Division of the Foreign Intelligence Service of Ukraine. From 2004 to 2010, he was the first deputy director of the Institute for National Security under the National Security and Defense Council of Ukraine. He is also a major general in the Reserve.
Five events that highlight the new reality in Ukraine-Russia relations

Russia once again finds itself under pressure for its aggressive behavior towards Ukraine, this time by international organizations such as the UN
Read more3 reasons why Russia finally released Ukrainian pilot Nadezhda Savchenko

The most likely explanation for the timing of the deal is that the Kremlin hopes that the release of the controversial prisoner will convince European leaders to end economic sanctions against Russia
Read moreHow Ukraine's new prime minister can put Kiev on a European path

Ukraine's new government has a tough task ahead: it must deal with a controversial legacy of governance, improve its image abroad and fulfill plans for EU integration – all while reducing the nation’s dependence on Russian gas
Read moreHow the Savchenko case fits into Russia's information war against Ukraine

The controversial case of Ukrainian pilot Nadezhda Savchenko followed a highly scripted plan from Russian authorities, who arrested her at the time of an intense information war with Ukraine
Read moreControversial anniversary: Two years after Crimea's 'return' to Russia

The annexation of Crimea two years ago unleashed an unexpected confluence of new geopolitical events. Looking back at history, however, many of these events might have been anticipated in advance
Read moreWhat have we really learned about Ukraine two years after Maidan?

The second anniversary of Maidan has forced Ukrainian society to re-think what was accomplished, and what has yet to be achieved on the nation’s winding path to freedom and democracy
Read moreThe implications of Ukrainian elections for Russia

Ukraine’s recent elections indicate that external players, including the Kremlin, will find it more challenging to influence the nation’s domestic politics
Read moreThe ghost of Syria haunts the Normandy Four talks on Ukraine

The fact that not a single decision made during the Normandy Four talks in Paris was committed to paper allows the parties involved to freely interpret the results and frame their own context
Read moreWhat are the implications of the Crimean food blockade for Russia?

The food blockade of Crimea means that Russia will have to double down to find ways to compensate for potential food shortages. Meanwhile, the peninsula could see a major hike in food prices
Read moreWhat new social unrest in Kiev means for Washington and Moscow

The unrest in central Kiev should be a signal to Russia and the West that current attempts to manage the Ukrainian conflict are being met with skepticism and disapproval in Ukrainian society
Read moreHow the Berlin meeting could change our thinking about the Ukraine crisis

The meeting in Berlin between only three participants of the Normandy Four to discuss the Ukraine crisis is proof that the Minsk agreements need to be reassessed. Could we eventually see the involvement of new stakeholders in the negotiation process?
Read moreIs the Kremlin behind the Mukachevo incident in southwestern Ukraine?

Although there is no direct proof of its involvement in the Mukachevo incident in southwestern Ukraine, the Kremlin might have an interest in destabilizing this region
Read moreWhy American military assistance to Ukraine matters

Sending American troops to Ukraine is the beginning of more effective assistance to Ukraine, which will have an impact on that country’s defense capabilities in its confrontation with Russia
Read moreMilitary conflict in Ukraine ushered in a new era of dangerous multipolarity

One year since the military conflict in Ukraine started, we are now better able to comprehend the inherent weaknesses of today’s international security architecture
Read moreUkrainian statehood after Crimea, what comes next?

Despite a long history of efforts by Russia to interfere in the affairs of Ukraine, the momentum for independent Ukrainian statehood is strong enough to withstand any external efforts at destabilization or fragmentation
Read moreFrom Budapest to Minsk: The search for a new system of global security

Ukraine, Russia and the West should not squander the opportunity to settle the conflict. To do so, however, requires a fundamental re-thinking of how international security has changed over the past decade
Read more