UK in Ukraine

8th June 2012

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by Leigh Turner

Ambassador to Austria and UK Permanent Representative to the United Nations and other International Organisations in Vienna

Axle weights and Andriyivskyy Uzviz

On the steep cobbled slope, stalls display Ukrainian souvenirs to curious visitors. In the distance, a river glistens. On a terrace overlooking picturesque 19thC buildings, tourists tuck into tasty steaks and sup cold beer. As a big fan of Kyiv I was pleased to see the much-discussed renovation of Andriyivskyy Uzviz, the winding street in […]

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1st June 2012

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by Leigh Turner

Ambassador to Austria and UK Permanent Representative to the United Nations and other International Organisations in Vienna

Beach volleyball, the Foreign Office and Euro 2012

How will beach volleyball affect the Foreign and Commonwealth Office in London this summer?  What are the parallels, and differences, between London 2012 and Euro 2012 in Ukraine? You can find answers to these and other questions about the London 2012 Olympics and Paralympics, and about the Euro 2012 football championship, in a short TV […]

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31st May 2012

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by Leigh Turner

Ambassador to Austria and UK Permanent Representative to the United Nations and other International Organisations in Vienna

Why Kyiv is brilliant

The view is astounding.  Below, a mighty river winds through a brilliant green landscape.  A steep bluff studded with golden domes tumbles down to the shore.  Below me are several hundred tonnes of stainless steel.  Welcome to one of the world’s great – and least-known – cities. After years of writing blogs about visits to […]

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30th May 2012

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by Leigh Turner

Ambassador to Austria and UK Permanent Representative to the United Nations and other International Organisations in Vienna

Ukraine: challenges, optimism and the AUGB

Can one be an optimist about Ukraine? When I visited the UK recently I was invited to visit the central office of the Association of Ukrainians in Great Britain (AUGB) in Notting Hill to meet members of the Association and to give a short talk. A couple of people have told me they enjoyed the […]

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28th May 2012

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by Leigh Turner

Ambassador to Austria and UK Permanent Representative to the United Nations and other International Organisations in Vienna

The Falklands: a way forward?

I’m sitting next to a senior diplomat from a respected European country at dinner when conversation turns to the Falkland Islands, known to Spanish speakers as the Malvinas.  “A key fact,” I say, “is that the 3,000 people who live in the Islands want to remain British.” “Ah,” says the top diplomat.  “But how do […]

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25th May 2012

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by Leigh Turner

Ambassador to Austria and UK Permanent Representative to the United Nations and other International Organisations in Vienna

England fans are coming!

There’s growing excitement in England about the build-up to Euro 2012 in Ukraine. The British Embassy in Kyiv is working hard to ensure that the thousands of England fans we expect to visit during the championships are properly prepared for the visit with a “Know Before You Go” campaign. We’re also working hard to ensure […]

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23rd May 2012

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by Leigh Turner

Ambassador to Austria and UK Permanent Representative to the United Nations and other International Organisations in Vienna

Coming soon – Ukrainian Paralympic glory

21st May marked 100 days to go to the start of the London 2012 Paralympic Games. I’m here at the HQ of the Ukrainian National Paralympics Committee (NPC) in Kyiv for a press conference to mark the event, together with NPC President Valeriy Sushkevych; Simon Minty, a UK specialist on diversity and inclusivity; Sergiy Glushchenko, […]

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18th May 2012

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by Leigh Turner

Ambassador to Austria and UK Permanent Representative to the United Nations and other International Organisations in Vienna

Concrete and blood-red wax: British art in Kyiv

A feast of British art is heading for Kyiv. First up is a major new exhibition of sculptor Anish Kapoor.  Kapoor has been one of my favourite artists since I saw his 1991 Turner Prize-winning exhibit at the old Tate Gallery (this was before the Tate Modern opened in 2000). Kapoor also has a work, called […]

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17th May 2012

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by Leigh Turner

Ambassador to Austria and UK Permanent Representative to the United Nations and other International Organisations in Vienna

IDAHO in Ukraine

On the eve of the International Day Against Homophobia and Transphobia (IDAHO) I’m delighted to meet in Kyiv old friend Clare Dimyon, a British human rights activist whom I last met in June 2009. At that time, Clare was visiting Ukraine to coincide with the Second National Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender (LGBT) conference in […]

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16th May 2012

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by Leigh Turner

Ambassador to Austria and UK Permanent Representative to the United Nations and other International Organisations in Vienna

Football and politics

The images are powerful.  A woman prisoner displays bruises which she says were caused by mistreatment by prison guards. Allegations by ex-prime minister Yuliya Tymoshenko that she was physically mistreated by prison guards, followed by counter-claims by prison authorities that this never happened, have caused controversy in the rest of Europe.  In an intense cycle […]

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