When the world's at stake,
go beyond the headlines.

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 StrategyЕспресо — Espreso24-hour television channel and digital outlet with a pro-European outlook“Should Putin Put Pressure on Lukashenko to Open a Second Front?”By Mykola Knyazhytskyi/July 3, 2026Ukrainian social media is buzzing with conspiracy theories that Putin and Lukashenko’s unusually secretive meeting signals an imminent Belarusian front. Evidence, says Mykola Knyazhytskyi, suggests otherwise: Ukraine and Europe are actually courting Lukashenko as a peace intermediary, following earlier efforts by Trump’s envoy, Kellogg. Belarus currently serves Russia as a safe rear base (fuel, repairs, and gray imports) precisely because it stays out of combat. Its army lacks combat experience and modern tactics, the author reassures readers. Activating Belarus would expose it to Ukrainian strikes while giving Russia minimal military benefit, so neither side actually has real incentive to open this front, he concludes.“Belarus now plays about the same role for Russia as Poland does for Ukraine—a safe rear base that is nearby, but which is not hit. All this will burn out instantly as soon as Minsk activates its participation in the war.”***Український тиждень — Ukrainskyi Tyzhden (“The Ukrainian Week”)Weekly magazine with a national-democratic and conservative voice“Secrets of the Fourth Dimension: How the War at Sea Is Changing”By Volodymyr Zablotskyi/June 29, 2026Volodymyr Zablotskyi’s piece argues that