Welcome to The Ukraine Compass, a weekly digest of Ukrainian commentary and analysis from across the political spectrum only for War on the Rocks members. Each Monday, we bring you a curated selection of articles from Ukrainian media offering insight into how Ukrainians themselves debate the issues shaping their country.American coverage often narrows the view to the battlefield — these pieces widen it, revealing the texture of daily life, politics, and public argument in a nation at war. The perspectives gathered here are varied, candid, and often surprising, together forming a more complete picture of Ukraine as it really is.Frontline and StrategyГазета— Gazeta (“Newspaper”)Mainstream Ukrainian socio-political news outlet with a pro-Ukraine editorial voice“What Will Happen in the Summer?: Russia’s Attack on NATO, Elections in Ukraine, and Peace?”By Valeriy Pekar/June 1, 2026Defense analyst, Valeriy Pekar, outlines four scenarios for Russia’s next move: a real truce, a frozen frontline, full-scale mobilization, or an attack on NATO countries. In a reader poll, NATO escalation ranked most likely, followed by mobilization. The author agrees — escalation against NATO is Putin’s most characteristic play: maximum risk, maximum potential gain. Success would let Russia sideline Europe, lift sanctions, and collapse support for Ukraine. Mobilization remains a secondary risk worth preparing for, he argues, also noting that a truce is something nobody should waste their time seriously considering.“Personally, I also consider the escalation to NATO countries to be the most likely scenario, I have written about it many times in both the Ukrainian and Polish press. The risk is high, but if successful, it allows Russia to immediately achieve the strategic goals of the war: withdraw the European Union from the game, lift sanctions, regain frozen assets and break support for Ukraine (without the support of Europe, Ukraine will not last long).”***Фокус— Fokus (“Focus”)National weekly magazine with a patriotic voice“Russian
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