Ukraine and Privatization: A Second Chance to Make a First Impression

By Michael Willard

Three decades ago in Washington, D.C., my boss looked across the table and asked: “How would you like to lead a large USAID market reform program in Ukraine?”

I asked, “Where’s Ukraine?”

“Heck, if I know,” he replied. “Somewhere near Russia.”

Today, almost everyone with a radio, television, or reads a newspaper knows where Ukraine is due to its geopolitical importance vis-a-vis Russia. It is, indeed, an independent…